---
title: The Present Bias
created: 2024-11-18T09:18:12
modified: 2025-07-27T11:16:23
---

**Present Bias** refers to the cognitive tendency for people to give stronger weight to immediate rewards over future ones, even when the future benefits are larger. [^1]

This bias explains why we might [procrastinate](Procrastination.md), overeat, or under-save for retirement — the _now_ feels more important than the _later_. As the moment of choice arrives, our preferences often shift, a phenomenon known as **time inconsistency**.

This can lead to [impatience](a-man-who-is-a-master-of-patience-is-master-of-everything-else.md) or [immediate gratification](instant-gratification.md) in [decision-making](decision-making.md).

For example, someone might plan to start exercising next week but, when the time comes, choose rest instead.

Understanding present bias is crucial in fields like behavioral economics, health, and productivity, as it helps design better incentives and systems — like _automatic savings_ or _habit trackers_ — to align short-term actions with long-term goals.

[^1]: The tendency to overvalue the present, often at the expense of the future.