Do you ever put off a task you hate, like doing your taxes? Of course you do. Here’s why.
Humans aren’t great at comparing short-term and long-term benefits. Psychiatrist George Ainslie found that, when offered a choice between $50 now and $100 in the future, most people chose the $50 up front.
But he also found that the same people would rather receive $100 dollars in six years than $50 in five years – which is essentially the same offer, just five years in the future.
The decision is skewed by short-term benefits in the first instance, but not in the second. And it’s for this same reason that people tend to choose being happy now over being happy later. This is what causes us to postpone things that might diminish our current pleasure, like filing our taxes.
In fact, procrastination is only a bad thing if you falsely discount the future effects of your actions. Not just that, but one benefit of procrastination is that it can make your life better in the short term.
For instance, say you’re driving home from work and hear your engine rattling. Would you stop at a repair shop to check it out, or go home and see if the sound disappears on its own?
After a long day at the office, the second choice has profound short-term benefits. You’ll get to return to a warm house, a nourishing meal and a relaxing night.
Furthermore, a little procrastination also helps you think things over before rushing to a decision. For example, in the moment, your only option along the route home might be the most expensive repair shop in town.
However, if you stick to this pattern for too long, it will lead to problems. In this case, your car will eventually break down. Then you’ll have to wait for a tow truck and face a bigger repair bill than if you had addressed the issue earlier.
