A Matter of Time: The Impact of Time Perspectives on Health

Woman looking at the time.

Source: Mikhail Nilov/Pexels

Have you ever thought about how often you check the time during the day? It’s probably at least 50 times, since we’re constantly looking at our phones. We conduct our lives on a schedule that is designed to keep us organized and productive, but the way we actually view time is extremely complex and subjective. Our time perspectives dictate how we react emotionally to the world around, form judgments, and the actions we take. Much of this is unconscious and habitual, but it has a considerable impact on our health status.

What Is Time Perspective?

The subject of time perspectives has fascinated philosophers such as Aristotle and Kant, who were interested in exploring the experience of past, present, and future. This laid the groundwork for the concept of temporal or time perspective theory that later emerged in the field of psychology. The term "time perspective" refers to the degree to which individuals focus on the past, present, or future, and is an indication of motivation that influences a variety of behaviors (Loose & Vasquez-Echeverria, 2023). Our outlook on life determines our recurring thought patterns and also our beliefs about the future. Whether this is more optimistic or pessimistic, it has a direct relationship to the nature of our daily functioning.

Time Perspective Categories

The Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory is regarded as one of the most important measures of temporal perspectives (Levasseur et. al., 2020). It encompasses five different dimensions:

• Past-negative—focusing on distressing past experiences.
• Past-positive—viewing the past with nostalgia but remaining cautious.
• Present-hedonistic—seeking pleasurable experiences and taking risks.
• Present-fatalistic—feeling helpless, powerless, and anxious.
• Future—feeling constant pressure to achieve goals.

This model has since been expanded to include future-negative, which reflects worry and anxiety, and present-eudaimonic, which refers to a mindful present focus. The future dimension has since been replaced with future-positive (Stolarski et. al., 2019).

Time Perspectives and Mental Health

Time perspectives affect our emotional responses to specific situations that we encounter. Both past-negative and future-negative perspectives are associated with self-defeating thoughts and emotions. For example, ruminating about past failures can cause increased anxiety, particularly when we are faced with similar circumstances later on. This may create a fear of failure, low self-esteem, and detract from our level of motivation. In contrast, future-positive and present-hedonistic views pertain to higher levels of emotional arousal. People who are present-hedonistic tend to be impulsive and thrill-seeking. This can become dangerous if the risk-taking behavior involves substance abuse or overspending. Being future-oriented can either be helpful or harmful. There is a difference between focusing on setting and striving for goals, and getting caught up in constant pressures to keep up this momentum. Maintaining a future-positive outlook is beneficial for building self-efficacy and confidence. Stress-related responses are lessened due to the ability to perceive failures as growth opportunities.

Applications of Time Perspective Theory in Coaching

Studies indicate that people subconsciously alter their time perspectives of past, present, and future according to their emotional states, habits, and objectives (Stolarski et. al., 2019). As a wellness coach for dancers and athletes, establishing individual temporal profiles is significant for understanding motivation, engagement, self-concept, and performance levels. This allows for a more in-depth exploration of goals and desires to implement an effective action plan. For instance, motivation can be improved by having the client identify their long-term goals and the incremental steps needed to reach them. Active engagement is connected to a positive mindset which can bolster commitment to training and also help prevent burnout. In addition, how long these feelings of satisfaction or dissatisfaction last from a specific performance varies according to the individual’s time perspective (Stolarski et. al., 2019). Learning how to let of go of negative emotions and thought patterns is a key area to concentrate on for performance enhancement.

It's important to keep in mind that having a more equitable time perspective is advantageous for attaining a greater sense of well-being. It’s detrimental to remain stuck in the past, live exclusively for the present, or think only about the future. If we are able to shift time perspectives more readily, we can become more fully present and engaged in our experiences. This also relates to cultivating self-confidence, resilience, and the ability to evaluate past performances in an objective manner. Self-talk, either positive or negative, is a huge factor regarding the assessment of performance. All-or-nothing thinking is one of the elements of perfectionism in dancers and athletes that can be a roadblock to success. It can also lead to performance anxiety that detracts from enjoyment or interferes with their career itself. Working collaboratively to reframe mindsets that are negative and unproductive is essential for making progress with clients within the supportive coaching environment.

The inclusion of time perspective screening can be a valuable tool for identifying appropriate strategies for performance improvement. Through the observation of dancers that have future-negative perspectives, avoidant behavior often occurs which leads to limited goals, low motivation, or loss of interest in dance entirely. This may also indicate anxiety about their relatively short professional careers and the prospect of dealing with a career transition in the near future. Stress management and mind-body tools such as meditation, breathing exercises, imagery, and relaxation techniques are reliable resources for reducing anxiety and providing coping skills. Dancers also tend to be highly self-critical and generally focus on their flaws instead of their attributes. A more balanced perspective of their successes and failures should be encouraged to foster self-belief, mindfulness, and adaptive behaviors for optimal outcomes and fulfillment.

It’s not easy to alter our longstanding perspectives about time, but it is a skill that can be developed with time, patience, and support. As Thomas Hardy once said, “Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change.”