3 ways your brain is screwing over Future You

You can't avoid these cognitive biases entirely, but there are ways to protect yourself from the worst of the impact.

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Cognitive biases are unconscious and systematic errors in thinking. They’re like taking a mental shortcut that you think will lead you to your vacation Airbnb, except you find yourself on a winding dirt road miles from your destination. These shortcuts stem from our limited ability to process information objectively, and often take you off-course in frustrating yet predictable ways.

Being aware of cognitive biases aren’t a surefire way of avoiding them. (They’re unconscious, remember.) However, in my work with Whole30 and boundaries, I’ve discovered three that are both super common and highly problematic for Future Me. Here are the top 3 biases that are most likely to screw you over on a daily basis, and tips for getting around them at least some of the time.

1. Hyperbolic Discounting (AKA Present Bias)

Hyperbolic discounting is why you scroll through TikTok in bed at 10 PM, then wake up tired and grumpy. It’s our unconscious bias to choose smaller, immediate rewards instead of waiting for a more impactful reward later.

It’s hard to say no to the wine, Netflix, or taking that vacation next month versus saving for retirement years from now. And the further out the reward, the harder it is. You might skip dinner out this week to have more spending money during next week’s vacation, but buying a more budget-friendly car today so you can put the rest in your 401K is a much harder choice.

Still, I can sometimes break through this bias (in shorter-term decisions) by pausing and asking myself, “What does Future Melissa need?” It’s far easier to say no to the glass of wine at dinner so Future Melissa can feel more energetic and optimistic during the next morning’s travels. Or to say no to the thing in my Amazon cart by thinking, “Future Melissa really doesn’t need this, and it all adds up. If I’m conscientious here, I’ll be able to take that hiking trip in the fall.”

Tip: Institute a pause before ordering the wine, opening TikTok, or buying the thing. Then, ask Future You what would make them even happier than this fleeting moment of pleasure. Saying no today is easier knowing you’ve set yourself up for long-term success.

2. Planning Fallacy (or Future Time Slack)

The planning fallacy is why you say yes to hosting the baby shower next month, then realize as the date approaches that you really don’t the have capacity, energy, or time for this. Also called Future Time Slack, it’s the bias that promises that we’ll have more time, energy, or mental capacity in the future…. despite all of the evidence suggesting we will not.

It’s also why you procrastinate on projects you should have started weeks ago. I know from vast experience that it takes me two full days to script, shoot, and edit a YouTube video, if I want to do it right. Yet the planning fallacy leads me to say, “I’m sure I can get this one done in a day,” then procrastinate until I’m stressed and scrambling to meet the deadline.

Can you see the relation to hyperbolic discounting here? We want the quick reward today, so we take actions that put Future Us in a bind. At the same time, we assume we’re going to make choices today that will buy us the time, energy, and excitement to do more in the future. These two mindsets, obviously, are not compatible.

This is where Future Me and boundaries come in. Before I commit Future Me to anything, I pause and reflect. What do I have going on between now and then? If this was an invitation for tomorrow, would I want to say yes? What could I do now to commit to this without screwing Future Me over? Is this just something I need to say no to, in an effort to protect Future Me at all costs?

Tip: Employ the pause here too, before agreeing to future plans. Take as long as you need to evaluate the situation, using past experience and what you know is in your future as your guide. When in doubt, say no (or set clear boundaries around what you can do) and protect Future You. You’ll never be mad at yourself for buying you more time and energy down the road.

3. Ostrich Effect

The ostrich effect is why you don’t call the doctor back, leave your credit card bill unopened, or put off taking the car to the mechanic. It’s an unconscious bias that leads you to avoid stressful, unpleasant, or potentially scary information. This bias may involve physical avoidance (not opening the bill), “forgetting” (to call the doctor back), or inattention (ignoring the “check engine” light).

It’s normal to want to preserve your peace, but sticking your head in the sand means you continue to punt bad news, hardship, and struggle to Future You. In addition, the ostrich effect isn’t just putting your problems off—it can make them significantly more complicated, expensive, and stressful

Although I procrastinate as much as anyone (eg., my car has been flashing “oil change” for a thousand miles now), tackling things head-on and within a healthy time frame is another gift I give to Future Me. Handling the doctor’s visit, bill, and mechanic saves Future Me time, stress, and probably money. It’s also one more task I won’t have to add to my future to-do list, which I already know will be richly scheduled. Imagining Future Me waking up next Monday and looking at a clear calendar (instead of “call doctor, revise budget, visit Jiffy Lube”) prompts me to just do the thing already.

More than that, it’s also a gift to Present Me. Not knowing doesn’t make it any better. In fact, not knowing often feels worse. That nagging sense of, “something is wrong, something is bad” is exhausting, stressful, and all-consuming. Calling the doctor, opening the bill, and taking the car into the shop, as scary as it is, makes me feel immediately better—even though the issue isn’t yet resolved. Knowing makes the problems concrete and gives me power. Just the knowing feels so much better than imagining the worst, feeling anxious and powerless.

Tip: Remind yourself, “I am feeling stress because I have no power, and I have no power because I don’t know what I’m dealing with.” Set aside some time ASAP and rip off the band-aid. Commit to looking at every aspect of this potentially hard situation head-on. Once you can get your arms around it, you’re in a much better position to resolve the issue, start working on a plan, and gather support you deserve.

Future You says, “thank you”

True story: The G.I. Joe fallacy refers to the misconception that knowing a cognitive bias exists is enough to sidestep it. Still, while these biases are unconscious and deeply rooted in our biology, there is a benefit to being aware of them.

I don’t always make the “right” choice for Future Me—nobody does. But knowing these biases are the most likely to trip me up as I move about my day does help me pause, reflect on what’s in my long-term best interest, and act accordingly to protect, preserve, and care for Future Me.

XO, MU

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