Digital disconnection as a self-regulatory strategy against procrastination

Klingelhoefer J, Gilbert A, Meier A (2026)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2026

Journal

Scientific Reports Nature Publishing Group: Open Access Journals - Option B

Book Volume: 16

Article Number: 17133

Journal Issue: 1

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-46218-1

Abstract

Digital media are pervasive and offer various short-term rewards, yet they may undermine the achievement of long-term goals by fostering procrastination—the irrational delay of intended tasks. Research documents that media users try to avoid procrastination through digital disconnection, the voluntary and temporary reduction of digital media use. Combining theoretical perspectives on psychological processes of self-regulation and digital disconnection, our study investigates whether goal conflicts and trait self-control make engaging in disconnection more likely and whether disconnection is in turn associated with less procrastination. In an experience sampling study with N = 237 young adult participants and T = 12,408 observations, we find that in situations in which participants experienced stronger goal conflicts they were more likely to engage in digital disconnection and that individuals who generally experience higher goal conflict were more likely to disconnect. Additionally, those with higher trait self-control disconnected more. Most notably, disconnection was associated with lower procrastination on the within-person level: In situations with more disconnection, procrastination was lower. Exploratory analyses find that this effect persisted to the following situation. Our results show that engaging in digital disconnection could be a promising self-control strategy to reduce procrastination.

Authors with CRIS profile

Julius Klingelhöfer Chair of Communication (KW) Adrian Meier Fachbereich Wirtschaftswissenschaften

Involved external institutions

Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz (JGU) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Klingelhoefer, J., Gilbert, A., & Meier, A. (2026). Digital disconnection as a self-regulatory strategy against procrastination. Scientific Reports, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-46218-1

MLA:

Klingelhoefer, Julius, Alicia Gilbert, and Adrian Meier. "Digital disconnection as a self-regulatory strategy against procrastination." Scientific Reports 16.1 (2026).

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