Researchers are tracking down a cure for something that has been plaguing students and workers alike for centuries—procrastination. Psychologists Daphna Oyserman and Neil Lewis recently published a study on the way we view deadlines. Their research suggests that if someone thinks of an upcoming deadline in terms of days rather than weeks, months, or years, the goal seems closer, and that will spur people to act quicker.
According to the article: "And when the events needing our attention are perceived to happen sooner, people are more motivated to take action. In the study, test subjects were more likely to plan to start saving money sooner when told they were retiring in 10,950 days than if they were told they were retiring in 30 years—even though they're pondering the exact same amount of time." Daphna Oyserman added, "Even when it's a lot of days—6,000, 9,000, 14,000 days away—people focus on the unit, not the number."
Possible Preaching Angle:
So, the question remains, what are you waiting for? Or perhaps we could remember the Psalmist's prayer, "Teach us to number our days" (Ps. 90:12).
