Neither Pleasurable nor Virtuous: Procrastination Links Smartphone Habits and Messenger Checking Behavior to Decreased Hedonic as Well as Eudaimonic Well-Being

• In Event: The Use and Effects of New Media

Abstract

Smartphones afford us constant access to communication, anytime and anywhere. However, habitually checking one’s mobile messages may often conflict with more important tasks, resulting in procrastination. Based on data from a daily diary study (N = 532), the present study investigates how smartphone uses contribute to the prevalence of procrastination in daily life. Moreover, the study extends prior research on connectedness and well-being by investigating the consequences of media-driven procrastination for the two central dimensions of well-being: hedonia and eudaimonia. Results from multilevel analyses indicate that both ‘push’ and ‘pull’ forms of smartphone checking mediate the effects of smartphone habits on procrastinatory behavior. Procrastination, in turn, negatively affects both hedonic and eudaimonic well-being by reducing daily experiences of accomplishment. This study is the first to link smartphone habits and messenger usage behavior to procrastination and uncovers the challenges for smartphone users to pursue both pleasure and virtue in everyday life.

Author

• Adrian Meier, Johannes Gutenberg U Mainz