Our tendency to procrastinate may depend on how we see the future

Procrastination, the habit of consistently postponing tasks, is a common phenomenon that many of us are familiar with. A new study conducted by researchers at the University of Tokyo reveals that an optimistic view of the future can significantly reduce severe procrastination.


The researchers found that individuals with a pessimistic view of the future, anticipating high levels of stress, are more prone to severe procrastination. Conversely, those who believe that stress will decrease in the future are less likely to procrastinate.

To conduct this study, the scientists introduced new measures called "chronological view of stress" and "chronological view of well-being". They asked 296 participants to rate their levels of stress and well-being over nine time periods, ranging from the past ten years to the next ten years. Then, cluster analysis was used to classify the participants based on their responses and evaluate them on a procrastination scale.

Four distinct groups emerged: the "descending" group (stress decreases over time), the "ascending" group (stress increases), the "V-shaped" group (stress is lowest in the present), and the "shifting mountain" group (stress peaks in the past and decreases towards the future). The percentage of severe procrastinators was significantly lower in the "descending" group, indicating that believing that future stress will decrease reduces procrastination.

However, the study has its limitations. The participants were all in their twenties, raising the question of generalizing the results to other age groups. Additionally, no interventions were tested to see if altering the perception of the future directly reduced procrastination.

For chronic procrastinators looking to change, the findings suggest that cultivating an optimistic view of the future may help overcome the tendency to prefer immediate gratification over long-term goals. According to the researchers, procrastinators often neglect the future because they think it will be more stressful than the present. By adopting a more positive perspective, individuals might be more motivated to complete tasks that are difficult but beneficial in the long run.

Saya Kashiwakura, co-author of the study, hopes that these findings will be especially useful in the educational sector. She asserts that students can achieve better results and greater well-being by scientifically understanding their procrastination tendencies and actively working to improve them, rather than blaming themselves.

Changing deeply ingrained perspectives is not easy. However, cognitive techniques such as positive visualizations of the future could help reformulate one's view of the future more optimistically. These findings highlight the importance of our subjective perception of the future in shaping our behaviors and day-to-day motivation.