You’ve decided to cut back on Netflix. Tomorrow. Or maybe Monday. Next month at the latest.

Somehow, tomorrow never comes.

According to research from the American Psychological Association, about 20% of adults are chronic procrastinators. When it comes to changing entertainment habits specifically, that number is probably higher (though I haven’t found a study that confirms this exactly).

So why is “I’ll start tomorrow” such a comfortable lie?

Why Tomorrow Feels Easier

The Present Bias

Your brain values immediate rewards more than future ones. This is called present bias, and it’s deeply wired into human psychology.

Tonight’s episode of that show you’re into? Immediate reward. The benefits of watching less? Somewhere in the fuzzy future.

Your brain does the math and picks the sure thing. Every time.

Tomorrow’s You Is a Stranger

Here’s something weird: when researchers scan people’s brains while they think about their future selves, the brain activity looks similar to when they think about strangers.

You’re essentially making promises on behalf of someone you don’t really know (future you). And that person will have to deal with the consequences while present you enjoys the show.

The “Fresh Start” Illusion

Monday. The first of the month. New Year’s.

We love fresh starts because they feel significant. They create a mental boundary between “old me” (who binges) and “new me” (who has control).

The problem? The fresh start is always in the future. There’s always a more perfect moment to begin.

Change Is Hard, Deciding Is Easy

Saying “I’ll start tomorrow” feels productive. You’ve made a decision! You have a plan!

Except you haven’t done anything. You’ve just postponed the hard part while giving yourself credit for intending to change.

The Cost of Waiting

Nothing Changes

Obviously. Every “tomorrow” that passes is another day of the same pattern. A year of tomorrows is a year of nothing different.

The Goal Gets Bigger

When you postpone, you often inflate the goal:

“Since I’m starting Monday, I’ll go completely screen-free”
“I’ll make up for this week by being extra strict next week”

Bigger goals are harder to start. The cycle continues.

Guilt Accumulates

Each broken promise to yourself (even the implicit ones) adds up. You start seeing yourself as someone who can’t follow through. That identity makes change even harder.

Urgency Disappears

“I’ll start tomorrow” removes urgency. If change can always happen later, it’s never necessary now. The comfortable present extends indefinitely.

Why Screen Habits Are Especially Hard

Changing streaming habits has some unique challenges:

Challenge	Why It’s Hard
No hard deadline	Unlike work or health crises, nothing forces change
Socially acceptable	Binge-watching is normal, even celebrated
Always available	Netflix is right there, waiting
Immediate relief	Watching feels good right now
Vague consequences	”Too much TV” doesn’t have a clear threshold

With no external pressure and constant availability, the only thing pushing you to change is internal motivation. And internal motivation is easy to postpone.

How to Actually Start Today

Make the First Step Tiny

Don’t commit to a complete lifestyle overhaul. Commit to one small thing:

Tonight: one episode instead of two
Today: phone in another room while watching
Right now: set a timer for when you’ll stop

Tiny steps don’t feel worth postponing. They’re too small to fail.

Remove the Decision

Tomorrow-thinking often happens in the moment of decision: “Should I watch or not? I’ll deal with this tomorrow.”

Remove the decision entirely:

Streaming Video Pause creates automatic breaks between episodes
TV timers turn off at a set time
Phones in another room aren’t available for second-screening

When the system decides for you, there’s nothing to postpone.

Create Accountability Now

Tell someone your intention right now. Text a friend: “I’m going to stop watching at 10 tonight.”

Once someone else knows, it becomes real. You can’t quietly postpone what you’ve announced.

Connect to Right Now

Instead of thinking about the benefits you’ll get someday, connect to how you’ll feel tonight:

“If I stop at 10, I’ll feel good about myself when I go to bed”
“I’ll sleep better and wake up without that groggy regret”
“I’ll prove to myself that I can do this”

Immediate emotional rewards compete better with immediate entertainment.

Start in the Middle of the Day

Don’t wait for the “start” of something (tomorrow morning, Monday, etc.). Start right now, in the middle of a random afternoon.

This breaks the fresh start illusion. You don’t need a special moment. Any moment works.

Expect to Start Imperfectly

“I’ll start tomorrow” is partly about waiting for perfect conditions. You want to begin when you’re motivated, rested, and ready.

That day might never come.

Start today, messy and imperfect. Watch one less episode than usual. That’s a start, even if it doesn’t feel like one.

The “Just for Today” Approach

Instead of committing to forever, commit to today only:

“Just for today, I’ll stop watching at 10.”

Tomorrow, you can decide again. But today is handled.

This works because:

It’s not overwhelming (it’s just one day)
It’s specific (you know exactly what to do)
It’s immediate (no postponing possible)
It builds momentum (days add up)

Rachel, a teacher, used this approach after failing at multiple “starting Monday” attempts. She committed to one screen-free evening (just one). Then another. After three weeks, screen-free evenings were normal, not exceptional.

What If You Keep Postponing?

If “I’ll start tomorrow” keeps winning, ask yourself:

Do you actually want to change? Sometimes we think we should want something without actually wanting it. If you’re happy with your current habits, that’s valid. Stop making promises you don’t intend to keep.

Is the goal realistic? Unrealistic goals invite postponement. “No TV ever” is harder to start than “TV only after 7 PM.”

What are you avoiding by watching? Sometimes binge-watching fills a void (loneliness, anxiety, boredom). Changing the habit might require addressing what’s underneath it.

Do you need support? If you genuinely can’t start alone, consider an accountability partner, a therapist, or tools that create structure for you.

The Truth About Tomorrow

Here’s the thing: tomorrow you will be the same person with the same brain. The same present bias. The same pull toward immediate rewards.

Tomorrow isn’t going to be easier. It’s going to be exactly this hard.

But today you’ve read this article. Today you’re thinking about it. Today you have some awareness and maybe a bit of motivation.

That makes today the best day to start.

Not perfectly. Not dramatically. Just one small thing, done now instead of later.

FAQ

Why do I always postpone starting on days when I’m stressed?

Stress depletes willpower and makes your brain seek comfort. Postponing feels like self-care in the moment (“I’ll deal with this when I’m feeling better”). The problem is, there’s always some stress. Start with extra-small steps on hard days.

Is there a “best” day to start a new habit?

Research on fresh starts shows Mondays and the first of the month have slightly higher follow-through. But the effect is small. Any day works if you actually begin.

What if I’ve tried starting dozens of times?

Each attempt teaches you something. What triggered the failure? What was too ambitious? Use past attempts as data, not evidence that you can’t change. Consider smaller steps or external tools like Streaming Video Pause that don’t rely on willpower alone.

The best time to start was yesterday. The second best time is now (not tomorrow, not Monday). Pick one small thing and do it tonight. Future you will be grateful present you finally stopped waiting.