Modulating task-outcome value to mitigate real-world procrastination via noninvasive brain stimulation.

HD-tDCS targeting the left DLPFC reduces real-world procrastination by 6 months, primarily through increasing task outcome valuation rather than decreasing task aversiveness.

• Why it matters: Procrastination impairs health and productivity, yet its underlying mechanisms and effective interventions remain poorly validated in real-world contexts, limiting practical solutions.
• What they did: A double-blind, randomized trial applied seven sessions of HD-tDCS to adults with chronic procrastination, measuring behavior changes over 2 days and 6 months using experience sampling.
• The result: The neuromodulation led to sustained reductions in procrastination, with increased outcome value mediating improvements, highlighting a targeted approach to enhance future reward valuation to combat procrastination.