The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos Why We're Mean to Our Future Selves (LIVE from Boston)
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May 8, 2023 
In this lively discussion with Jason Mitchell, a Harvard psychology professor, the duo dives into how we often set unrealistic expectations for our future selves. They explore the concept of 'future time slack' and how we misjudge our capacities, leading to procrastination and self-sabotage. The chat emphasizes the importance of building a kinder relationship with our future selves and offers strategies for aligning present actions with long-term happiness. Together, they challenge listeners to rethink their approach to decision-making and self-care.
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Procrastination Examples
- Jason Mitchell procrastinates on taxes and exercising.
- He realizes he can delegate tasks to his future self.
Future Self as Stranger
- We treat our future selves like separate entities.
- This explains why we offload undesirable tasks.
Unfair Treatment of Future Self
- We treat future selves like strangers, often unfairly.
- A study shows we burden future selves similarly to strangers.