“Just five more minutes of this.”
It’s what I tell myself as I sink into the sofa while surfing through social media on my phone after work, and delaying my workout just a little longer – until those minutes stretch into two hours of doomscrolling, and exercise doesn’t happen at all.
It’s also the excuse I use at night, lying in bed and resisting sleep for just a bit more time to unwind, even if it means sacrificing the rest I desperately need.
The thing is, I knew I was making these bad decisions because they felt good in the moment – even if they came at the expense of a fitter, better-rested me the next day.
And I almost always regretted my choice afterwards, especially when I’m hitting the snooze button the next morning, wishing I had gotten more sleep.
Yet, I evidently do not learn from my compunction. I still struggle to resist the pull of instant gratification, weighed down by the inertia that makes choosing the better long-term option feel so much harder.
This incongruence – where we do not perform actions despite having the intention to do so – is known as the intention-action gap, said Dr Victor Seah, director of the Behavioural Insights Centre of Excellence at Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).
While several factors contribute to this gap, one key reason people struggle with follow-through is a cognitive disposition called “present bias”, also known as “hyperbolic discounting”.
Ms Sara-Ann Lee, a clinical psychologist at The Psychology Practice, explained that present bias is the tendency to focus more on one’s current situation rather than future consequences when making decisions.
By prioritising the present, individuals may choose options that offer instant gratification and satisfy their current needs or desires.
The trade-off, however, is that they may settle for a smaller reward now, instead of delaying gratification for a potentially greater benefit in the future.
HOW BAD HABITS FORM
Ms Lee said research has shown that decisions involving the possibility of immediate rewards activate parts of the brain that are linked to emotions and reward processing, triggering a surge of dopamine.
Often called the “feel-good” hormone, dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in the brain’s reward and pleasure systems.
This surge creates a sense of immediate pleasure, which can drive individuals to make impulsive decisions, further reinforcing the addictive pull of instant gratification.
Furthermore, Mr Maximillian Chen, a clinical psychologist at Annabelle Psychology, said that future benefits activate brain regions related to more deliberate and rational thinking.
However, the emotion-linked brain regions – associated with instant gratification – are activated faster and with less effort than the rationality-linked regions.
When the brain operates under suboptimal conditions, such as when a person is stressed or sleep-deprived, these emotion-driven regions tend to dominate, making it even harder to resist present bias.
When it comes to everyday life, Mr Michael Thong, principal clinical psychologist at Rogerian Psychology Centre, said this tendency to focus on immediate rewards presents itself in various ways such as:
- Procrastination: Delaying important tasks like work or study in favour of leisure activities
- Doomscrolling: Spending hours on social media or news apps despite knowing it may be unproductive or even harmful
- Overspending: Making impulsive purchases on unnecessary items instead of saving for future needs
- Skipping workouts: Choosing comfort – like watching television – over exercise, even though working out would improve long-term health
- Unhealthy habits: Opting for junk food, smoking, or excessive drinking at the expense of long-term well-being
Mr Thong said that essentially, the present bias in our minds amplifies the appeal of immediate rewards, making them feel disproportionately valuable compared to future outcomes.
For example, the pleasure from eating a piece of cake today feels far more tangible than the abstract benefit of weight loss months down the line.
This skewed valuation then creates a feedback loop where short-term choices consistently outweigh long-term goals, he added.
Mr Chen from Annabelle Psychology added that present bias amplifies the appeal of immediate rewards partly because the further we look into the future, the greater the uncertainty – and with that, more perceived risk.
As a result, people may choose to stay in unfulfilling jobs as they prioritise the immediate rewards of familiarity and a steady pay cheque, over the uncertain but potentially greater future benefits of career progression and satisfaction.
SHORT-TERM PREFERENCE ISN’T ALWAYS BAD
Nevertheless, the experts caution against seeing present bias as inherently negative.
After all, at its core, present bias is simply a tendency to prioritise short-term gratification over future gains or long-term consequences.
This is not always a bad thing, said Dr Seah from SUSS, adding that meeting immediate needs and desires can sometimes be beneficial.
The experts also noted that defining a “negative” decision isn’t always straightforward, as priorities differ from person to person.
For instance, Mr Chen explained that indulgences like sleeping in are generally harmless when they are occasional and motivated by self-care.
However, these indulgences become self-defeating when they persistently interferes with long-term well-being, responsibilities, or personal growth.
It may also be concerning if sleeping in – or similar behaviours – are used as a form of escapism to avoid unpleasant states like stress or anxiety. This is especially so when the avoidance is triggered by an action necessary for achieving one’s goals, such as sending out a job application.
Additionally, Ms Lee said that people do have different perspectives on their ideal or preferred way of life, which then influences the choices they make.
For instance, one person might prioritise carving out personal time at the expense of sleep, while another may prefer paying for purchases in manageable instalments rather than a lump sum upfront.
To this end, choosing immediate gratification isn’t always the unfavourable or poor decision, she added, as meeting certain immediate needs can help individuals work towards their longer-term goals.
In other words, some people knowingly prefer meeting short-term objectives despite the trade-offs, because that is what is needed to get to their final destination.
Ms Lee said: “It’s important to normalise that all of us make a variety of these decisions on a day-to-day basis – choosing to satisfy our immediate needs (such as choosing to eat something satisfying for lunch) and also making other decisions that have delayed rewards (such as putting money in a long-term savings plan or fixed deposit).
“Individuals can consider the impact of these decisions, and whether they occur frequently and to what extent. If these situations occur infrequently and do not necessarily have a significant impact on the individuals’ life, there may be nothing wrong with making these decisions.”
It was reassuring for me to hear the experts say this.
When it comes to skipping a workout for example, I can usually tell when I’m doing it out of sheer laziness and inertia, as opposed to when I genuinely need rest after an especially long day.
As long as I do not make a habit of skipping workouts just because I feel like it, it is comforting to know that prioritising an immediate need, like rest, is not necessarily a bad choice.
BREAKING FREE OF THE GRATIFICATION TRAP
Having said that, when do I know that present bias and the pull of immediate gratification is a slippery slope towards bad habits? Are there early warning signs?
To distinguish between the occasional harmless indulgence and a pattern of self-defeating decision-making, Mr Thong suggested considering the frequency and impact of one’s choices, as well as one’s level of awareness and control over their actions.
For instance, treating oneself to dessert once a week is normal and unlikely to derail long-term health or fitness goals. However, frequent indulgences that start to undermine one’s health, finances, or relationships could signal deeper issues, he said.
Similarly, if someone makes a conscious decision to indulge without guilt and can return to their goals as needed, these choices are likely harmless. But if they feel powerless to resist, or find themselves constantly justifying their actions, it may be a sign that present bias is at play.
Additionally, Ms Lee said it becomes concerning when these choices or behaviours start to interfere with an individual’s daily functioning – whether socially, at work, or in other aspects of life. This is especially so if the negative impact becomes noticeable.
Some common signs and symptoms she highlighted include low mood, poor sleep quality, irritability, and significant weight gain or loss.
In the long term, consistently giving in to present bias over prolonged periods can contribute to the development of mental health conditions such as major depressive disorder, said Mr Thong from Annabelle Psychology.
To avoid tipping too far into the negative effects of present bias, Dr Seah from SUSS said that having awareness is a key first step, as it helps individuals better evaluate their situations and actions.
From there, one useful strategy to overcome the bias is the use of “implementation intentions” – or planning specific actions that are tied to certain triggers.
“This can broadly be understood as if-then statements that the individual might prepare in advance,” said Dr Seah. “For example, an individual might plan that if it is bedtime and I have my phone in bed, then I will set a five-minute alarm to put the phone away.”
Mr Thong said individuals can also overcome present bias by reframing future rewards as immediate gains – for instance, viewing exercise not just as a long-term health benefit, but as something that boosts one’s mood even in the present.
A modern approach involving behavioural intervention is to use environmental design – in other words, intentionally shaping our surroundings to influence our actions.
To reduce the temptation to skip a workout, for example, one could uninstall social media apps or set time limits on usage. At the same time, creating cues for desired behaviours – such as placing running shoes by the door – can make it easier to follow through with positive choices.
Other strategies include breaking large, long-term goals into smaller, actionable tasks to create more frequent and immediate rewards, said Mr Chen from Annabelle Psychology.
For example, instead of aiming to lose six kilograms in three months, one can set a smaller milestone, such as losing a kilogram every two weeks.
Creating visual reminders of long-term goals and placing them in obvious spots, like a phone wallpaper, can also help keep these future rewards top of mind, he added.
Tracking progress towards long-term goals can also be motivational, while pairing long-term goal-related tasks with short-term pleasures can make these habits feel easier and more rewarding. For instance, one could commit to only watching a favourite show while exercising at the gym.
“Rewiring old habits is hard. The key is to start small and be consistent with our desired healthy habits,” said Mr Chen.
Ultimately, while present bias is deeply rooted in human psychology, it is not immutable, said Mr Thong.
“Present bias arises from our brain’s preference for immediate rewards, leading to decisions that prioritise short-term pleasures over long-term benefits. (But) recognising early warning signs and using strategies like … habit rewiring can help (one) overcome this tendency, fostering healthier, more sustainable choices.”
