The current work seeks to identify factors that support action initiation from the theoretical lens of self-regulation. Specifically, we focus on factors that reduce procrastination, the delay of the initiation or completion of activities. We draw from action control theory and propose that positive affect operates as a personal and time pressure as a situational factor that unblock routes to action. High positive affect makes people less prone to procrastination because positive affect reduces behavioral inhibition and facilitates the enactment of intentions. By contrast, when positive affect is low, people depend on time pressure as an action facilitating stimulus. We present results of a daily diary study with 108 participants that support our hypotheses. We replicate the findings in the context of work in a second daily diary study with 154 employees. We discuss benefits and drawbacks of the enactment of intentions under time pressure and implications of the results for how to reduce procrastination.

目前的工作旨在从自我调节的理论视角确定支持行动启动的因素。具体来说，我们专注于减少拖延、延迟开始或完成活动的因素。我们从行动控制理论中汲取灵感，并提出积极影响作为一种个人和时间压力作为一种情境因素发挥作用，从而疏通行动路线。高积极情绪使人们不太容易拖延，因为积极情绪减少了行为抑制并促进了意图的制定。相比之下，当积极情绪低时，人们依赖时间压力作为促进刺激的行动。我们展示了支持我们假设的 108 名参与者的每日日记研究结果。我们在对 154 名员工的第二次日常日记研究中复制了工作环境中的发现。我们讨论了在时间压力下制定意图的利弊，以及结果对如何减少拖延的影响。