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, 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 or immediate gratification in decision-making.

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.