Digital disconnection as a self-regulatory strategy against procrastination

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Behavioral Science
• Media Studies

Background:

• Digital media offer immediate rewards but can hinder long-term goal achievement by promoting procrastination.
• Digital disconnection, a voluntary reduction in digital media use, is a strategy individuals employ to combat procrastination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if goal conflicts and trait self-control influence the likelihood of engaging in digital disconnection.
• To examine the association between digital disconnection and reduced procrastination.

Main Methods:

• An experience sampling study was conducted with 237 young adults, yielding 12,408 observations.
• Data were collected on goal conflicts, trait self-control, digital disconnection, and procrastination.

Main Results:

• Stronger goal conflicts and higher trait self-control were associated with increased digital disconnection.
• Digital disconnection was linked to lower levels of procrastination on a within-person level.
• The procrastination-reducing effect of disconnection extended to subsequent situations.

Conclusions:

• Digital disconnection emerges as a viable self-control strategy to mitigate procrastination.
• Understanding the interplay between goal conflict, self-control, and digital media use is crucial for managing procrastination effectively.