According to a book by Professor Frank Partnoy, the "crush of technology" drives us to "make instant decisions" and follow our short-term animal instincts.
It is often better to be patient and take time to think over things, says Partnoy.
Partnoy, a leading expert on finance from the University of San Diego, writes that children who delay their reactions end up "happier, more successful, superior at building social skills, feeling empathy and resolving conflicts," the 'Daily Mail' reported.
"Not waiting is causing us to make worse decisions and to be less focused. Our ability to think about the future is what separates us from animals, but technology is making us act instantly and make instant decisions," he said.
"We need to start reacting like humans, and not like animals for the benefit of our long-term interest, not just for short-term gain," he was quoted by the paper as saying.
In the book, Partnoy speaks to top tennis coach Angel Lopez, who points out that Jimmy Connors changed the game by waiting as long as possible before hitting a return shot, giving his brain more time to analyse where the ball was coming from and at what speed.
"There is no set time for everything but the idea is to tell people that they have much longer than they think to make their decision, and that time will help them make a better decision," he said.
