UC Riverside psychologists' experiments explain which choice rules daily life:
Will you read this news release now or decide to read it later? "Precrastination," defined as the tendency to expend extra effort to get things done as soon as possible, could explain what you will do.
We have all probably precrastinated, that is, completed tasks right away, even if that meant putting in more work. An unresolved question about precrastination is: Do we rush to get things done because we want to simply act as quickly as possible and worry about decision making later, or do we want to get decision making over and done with, so we needn't have to worry about it subsequently?
A team of psychologists at the University of California, Riverside, may have an answer: Given a choice, we opt for the latter because we want to have our minds clear.
[...] "Precrastination is widespread," Rosenbaum said. "When you answer emails too quickly, when you submit papers before they have been polished, you are precrastinating. But why do we rush? What's the hurry? If there are scarce resources, it's wise to grab low-hanging fruit, but in other cases, rushing has another less clear basis.
"It has been shown by several labs that quite a few people are inveterate precrastinators," he added. "Many people simply want to get stuff done and will rush to do so. The connotation is that you are an impulsive person. You act for action's sake. In certain cases, that can have dire consequences. For example, convicting people in court cases before all the evidence is in because you want to get the case over and done with. Or graver still is going to war just so a leader can appear strong and be seen as having taken action."
[...] "In the reaction-time task, most people think for a relatively long time, make their first response, and then make the second response a fraction of a second later," he said. "But a small number of people respond very quickly and then change their minds. So it could be personality differences — or maybe they simply had too much coffee! Regardless, we would advise against hiring these particular people to work in nuclear silos or do brain surgery."
Journal Reference:
Rosenbaum, D. A., Sturgill, H. B., & Feghhi, I., Think then act, or act then think? Double-response reaction times shed light on decision dynamics in precrastination, J Exp Psychol Gen, 2022. DOI: 10.1037/xge0001253
(Score: 2, Touché) by Opportunist on Wednesday October 26 2022, @11:27PM (13 children)
People want to get it over with and don't give a fuck.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday October 27 2022, @12:17AM (9 children)
If they really don't give a fuck, why do it at all?
No, I'm not expressing a contrarian view, that's a serious question. I'm really interested in examples of why soylenters have done it (if/when they have done it - direct experience please)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Gaaark on Thursday October 27 2022, @12:48AM (3 children)
Hasn't a boss ever come along to you and said "I need this done."
You think: "I could do it now and then do something i want/need to do, or do it later and kick myself for not having done it earlier."
I like to get shit that needs to get done, done. Now.
Then i can do the stuff I want/need to do.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 3, Interesting) by c0lo on Thursday October 27 2022, @03:12AM (2 children)
Sharing in return.
Honestly, as far as I can remember in the past (which shortens by the day, but still goes for more that 15y back), my immediate reaction was/is to ask "When do you need it?" and then deliver it as late as possible. After a while, every boss started to "urgently need me" less and less frequently.
I have enough self-respect to not dare do that.
Yes, I'm likely an excessive procrastinator, always cramming before exam during Uni time. You see, hard work may pay on the long run but the benefits of laziness are immediate [goodreads.com]. I like being paid upfront and deliver later.
Letting aside the less uninterrupted work on what I think is important (and the boss'es had and still have a tendency to agree on my assessment about what is important), in enough cases my subconscious manages to find better solution to the boss'es needs - 2-3 days sleeping on the problem helps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 3, Interesting) by mhajicek on Thursday October 27 2022, @05:03AM (1 child)
As a prototype machinist, I've done the same thing, delivering just in time for the need-by date in certain cases. It's saved a lot of work and money when they change the design after ordering the parts.
The spacelike surfaces of time foliations can have a cusp at the surface of discontinuity. - P. Hajicek
(Score: 3, Insightful) by mcgrew on Thursday October 27 2022, @03:27PM
Reminds me of the STNG episode where they find Scotty stuck inside a transporter. "You didn't tell him how long it would REALLY take, did you??"
Carbon, The only element in the known universe to ever gain sentience
(Score: 2) by mcgrew on Thursday October 27 2022, @03:25PM
If they really don't give a fuck, why do it at all?
Because the boss told them to, sir. Can I have the afternoon off?
Carbon, The only element in the known universe to ever gain sentience
(Score: 2) by Opportunist on Friday October 28 2022, @06:44AM (3 children)
Because someone makes you do it. Boss gives you assignment and your choice is to do it or to pack your shit. So you do it. As quickly as possible with the sole goal to get it behind you, screw the result.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday October 28 2022, @07:22AM (2 children)
What about you? (please read the last 3 words of my comment) [soylentnews.org]
Specifically with me, it mostly doesn't work [soylentnews.org]. I forgot when was the last time when I couldn't convinced the boss in 3 mins that I'm swamped with work and he'll be so much better asking someone else to cater for his extremely urgent needs. All being actually true. And yes, age and professional seniority helps.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 2) by Opportunist on Friday October 28 2022, @02:10PM (1 child)
The English language lacks an impersonal pronoun like the German "man" or the French "on". So "you" usually gets used in this case. One could also refer to oneself as one, but that usually leads to one getting singled out as an odd one.
In other words, don't take that "you" personal. It wasn't meant to be.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Friday October 28 2022, @09:39PM
👍
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0
(Score: 5, Interesting) by legont on Thursday October 27 2022, @01:23AM (2 children)
People just don't want to work; period.
It's deeply wired in the brain and the facts in the article are known for decades. The easiest form of manipulation is to make folks face hard decision and then present an easy choice. Everything is targeted and no one can resist efficiently.
That's why I never watch videos. I never listen to podcasts. I only read. It's not perfect, but it's better. That's why I am here where even pictures are not allowed; just text. Text is where it is the easiest to fight against the system. They know it and they animate even text news. Fight it. Block any tech that supports it. Use only devices that are too weak to run it.
Stop taking media. Any media. Become mind free.
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by mcgrew on Thursday October 27 2022, @03:32PM
I abhor talking heads as well, and hate having text scroll slowly down the screen. It does nothing but hamper comprehension and waste time. But often, photos and even videos are necessary. But I agree, there's way too much aliteracy, like the TV made reading obsolete. And why does Microsoft's ignorant spell checker not know that aliteracy is in the OED and Webster's?
Carbon, The only element in the known universe to ever gain sentience
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday October 28 2022, @07:42AM
(yet another one telling me I'm not of the people)
So... what do the people just want?
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 27 2022, @12:06AM (1 child)
sometimes
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 27 2022, @12:06AM
other times
(Score: 4, Insightful) by istartedi on Thursday October 27 2022, @12:54AM (3 children)
There's a saying in the Navy (so I'm told). "You can't steer a ship unless it's underway".
Having experienced both pre and procrastination, it seems lately that I need to get underway more. All too often, especially when working with tasks in "meat space", you discover that things are not going to work the way you think--that bracket isn't right. You bought the wrong screws, etc. You're not going to find that out unless you start the job first. Get that ship underway!
Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 27 2022, @12:56AM (1 child)
Underway is the ONLY WAY!
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 27 2022, @01:49AM
> Underway is the ONLY WAY!
I guess you never heard of bow thrusters?
(Score: 3, Interesting) by cmdrklarg on Thursday October 27 2022, @05:50PM
I'm not a Navy guy, but my response to that is: "One should plot the course before one leaves the dock."
I myself am definitely more of a procrastinator. Experience has taught me that it is OK to put off until tomorrow that which does not need to be done today, but also that one should at least make a plan ahead of time.
Answer now is don't give in; aim for a new tomorrow.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Immerman on Thursday October 27 2022, @01:27AM (2 children)
Option 3, and the one that often seems the most common in the population:
Act now and never think.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 27 2022, @01:50AM
Yep, that's the mindless option. Fight back with mindfulness!!
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday October 27 2022, @02:15AM
And if you act now, you can get a second one and just pay for shipping (plus a small handling fee).