Good things take time – but new research suggests mindfulness can make the wait easier
Mindfulness can change how we experience time, making it easier to wait for future rewards without relying on greater willpower.
When faced with the choice between a smaller reward now or a larger one later, many people instinctively opt for instant gratification. However, new research indicates that mindfulness meditation may help alleviate the discomfort of waiting for future rewards.
Psychologists have long framed delayed gratification as a battle between rational future selves and impulsive present selves. A classic example is the Stanford marshmallow test, which measured a child's ability to resist eating a treat in exchange for a larger reward later. Yet, a 2024 study found that a child's ability to delay gratification was influenced more by their background than by their self-control.
The researchers behind this new study believe that the perceived value of time plays a significant role in our decisions to delay gratification. Experiencing time as more expansive and valuable can make waiting for rewards feel less costly. In their studies, they found that practicing mindfulness meditation can indeed make time feel slower, expanding the present moment and making future rewards seem more attainable.
In one study, people who took a mindful walking class were more likely to choose a larger gift card to be received later than those who didn't participate in the class. Similarly, customers who watched a mindful-eating video before making a choice were more inclined to wait for a larger coupon compared to those who watched a regular food video. In another study, participants who watched the mindfulness video were more likely to choose a larger reward to be received in four months over a smaller one received immediately.
The researchers conclude that mindfulness helps people perceive time more positively, making it easier to wait for rewards. However, they emphasize that later doesn't always mean better. The future reward must be reasonably secure, and waiting should be realistic. Nonetheless, mindfulness can help shift our perspective, allowing us to fully experience the present and make waiting for future rewards less burdensome.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
