The Science of Procrastination - And How To Manage It

img：Perseid Meteors over Stonehenge

一场英仙座流星雨

虽然英仙座流星雨在昨晚达到了顶峰，但一些英仙座流星雨在接下来的几个晚上仍然可以看到

Let's face it. You're likely reading this article in an effort to avoid some other tasks you're procrastinating to learn how to stop procrastinating, but the clock is ticking. So why can't you seem to stop.

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Though the psychological causes are still debated, there's a human tendency to over or underestimate the value of a reward based on its temporal proximity. This is often referred to as temporal discounting.

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For example, if I offered you $100 today or 110 in a month, most would take the hundred and run. But what if instead I offered you 100 dollars in a year or 110 in a year and one month, suddenly you might say to yourself if I can wait a year I can wait the extra month.

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But the time and value difference are the exact same in each example. It turns out that human motivation is highly influenced by how imminent the reward is perceived to be, meaning the further away the reward is the more you discount its value. This is often referred to as present bias or hyperbolic discounting.

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So being on Weibo is more rewarding than a perfect score on your test until temporal proximity increases the value of a good mark on your chest and you cram all night. On top of this, every time something enjoyable happens you get a dose of dopamine which modifies the neurons in your brain, making you more likely to repeat the behavior.

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The problem is video games or browsing the Internet provide many small quick and continuous rewards unlike your term essay which is a one-time future reward. So how do you overcome the intrinsic urge to put off so many tasks.

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Unfortunately there isn't just one solution but try rewarding yourself in intervals with a snack the internet or other enjoyable activities. The Pomodoro Technique makes use of a timer work for 25 minutes straight and when you've done this, give yourself the reward in a 5-minute break, then start the working clock again.

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Gradually increasing the amount of work time you put in will improve your high-level executive functioning.It's been shown that creating a self-imposed costly deadline is an effective way to manage your working habits with externally imposed deadlines being even more effective. Also try and enjoy the process of achieving something instead of thinking only our minutes of torture.

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Try thinking I'm doing something great or I enjoy being productive To the same token, make a list of the reasons you want to complete the goal. Reinforcing that you want to do it minimizes indecision. Oftentimes procrastination is a symptom not a cause and the power of being properly motivated can take you far.

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Finally if you can remove the temptations, turn off the internet, uninstall your favorite game or work somewhere else. Putting obstacles in the way of your procrastination tools can be a great trick to keep you on track.

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Aug.12，2024

Perseid Meteors over Stonehenge
Image Credit & Copyright: Josh Dury

Explanation: What’s happening in the sky above Stonehenge?  A meteor shower: specifically, the Perseid meteor shower.  A few nights ago, after the sky darkened, many images of meteors from this year’s Perseids were captured separately and merged into a single frame.  Although the meteors all traveled on straight paths, these paths appear slightly curved by the wide-angle lens of the capturing camera.  The meteor streaks can all be traced back to a single point on the sky called the radiant, here just off the top of the frame in the constellation of Perseus.  The same camera took a deep image of the background sky that brought up the central band of our Milky Way galaxy running nearly vertical through the image center.  The featured image was taken from Wiltshire, England, being careful to include, at the bottom, the famous astronomical monument of Stonehenge.  Although the Perseids peaked last night, some Perseid meteors should still be visible for a few more nights.