Mindfulness shown to ease waiting for delayed rewards, study finds

New research indicates that the difficulty people experience when waiting for a larger future reward is not solely a matter of self‑control, but stems from an aversion to the waiting period itself. The study found that mindfulness meditation – focused attention on breathing, bodily sensations and present thoughts – can slow the subjective passage of time, making the wait feel less costly.

The researchers linked these findings to the classic delayed‑gratification paradigm, such as the Stanford marshmallow test, and noted that recent work shows background factors diminish the predictive power of waiting time alone. By altering the perception of time, mindfulness may help individuals make better financial choices, such as avoiding impulsive "buy now, pay later" decisions.