Past, Present, Future: Don’t Get Stuck in a Single Time Dimension

Although only the experienced present exists in any given moment, access to the past is made possible through memory , and one also has future expectations and plans. The capacity to mentally travel back and forth in time is an important human adaptation developed in the course of evolution (Suddendorf & Corballis, 2007). The switching among time dimensions is often automatic, but it is essential for individual adaptation to changing situational demands. Two ideas in time psychology have recently begun to describe this form of temporal flexibility. One is the balanced time perspective . This derives from Philip Zimbardo’s time perspective questionnaire, which assesses an individual’s ability to focus on different time orientations. A balanced time perspective is one where an individual has moderate-to-high levels in the past-positive, present-hedonistic, and future dimensions (Zimbardo & Boyd, 2008).

Time balance means a person can think about the ‘good old times’ and then switch to leisurely activity and know when to work hard to ensure future success. Maciej Stolarski and Joanna Witowska from Warsaw University formulated the idea of temporal metacognition , which is defined as the ability to consciously self-regulate the focus on the past, present, or future (Stolarski & Witowska, 2017). They identified three dimensions of temporal metacognition, namely: (1) the capacity to control a maladaptive time perspective in a given situation and to switch to another (what all three above-mentioned characters lack), (2) the ability to reinterpret past events using present experiences (what the man left by his wife could not do), and (3) the ability to connect the three time dimensions to make conscious, purposeful decisions.

Time balance means a person can think about the ‘good old times’ and then switch to leisurely activity and know when to work hard to ensure future success. Temporal metacognition , which is defined as the ability to consciously self-regulate the focus on the past, present, or future. Three dimensions of temporal metacognition(1) the capacity to control a maladaptive time perspective in a given situation and to switch to another

Time balance means a person can think about the ‘good old times’ and then switch to leisurely activity and know when to work hard to ensure future succus. Temporal metacognition defined as the ability to consciously self-regulate the focus on the past, present, or future. Three dimensions of temporal metacognition: (1) the capacity to control a maladaptive time perspective in a given situation and to switch to another.

(2) the ability to reinterpret past events using present experiences.

(3) the ability to connect the three time dimensions to make conscious, purposeful decisions.

We can intuitively feel that a balanced time perspective leads to numerous beneficial outcomes. I have shown that people with a more balanced time perspective experience less time pressure and less boredom in daily life, two main negative experiences we commonly face in our modern societies.