We decided to start this week’s posting with something new. As experts in managing time, we want to share our knowledge and help others to organize and manage their time in a most effective way. Not only thanks to our Time Tracking Software (which is really cool and helpful, by the way, you should definitely try it out) but also due to the tips and advises that we offer on our blog.
Why not try TimeCamp and see for yourself how great time tracking software it is!
You can also sign up for the beta version of TimeCamp 3.0, a complete Project Management Software, and be one of the first to test it. Do it here.
Today, we are launching the first of the posts about managing the time that we hope to turn into a series. From the suggestions described you should be able to determine what exactly is your approach to time. It may be quite helpful in organizing your daily schedule, work on tasks, and perform the regular activities in a timely manner.
The first step is to determine your orientation towards time. People tend to focus on one of these three options – the past, the present, or, obviously, the future. It is important that you establish on which one you are focusing. Don’t worry, no choice is bad here, but once you know, which one suits you, it will be much easier to properly organize your time.
In this post, we are going to explain the “orientation on the past,” the first of the three approaches. It is of utmost importance to establish some equilibrium between them, as all have their pros and cons. Let’s see what do we gain and lose when focusing on the past.
Looking into the past.
If you do this too often, it has a direct influence on your present self. It can even shape the “future you” in some ways. That is because you approach every challenge thinking about similar ones that you faced before. It may be beneficial for you, but it can be disastrous as well.
Why? That’s simple. If you succeeded while facing a similar challenge in the past, you would have more confidence now, more experience, and, generally, this should not be a problem. You will know where to begin, in what order manage the tasks, where to ask for help, etc.
But if you failed in the past and now had to face a similar challenge, the pressure can eat away at you. With the constant reminder of the past defeat in your head, you may not be able to even begin the work. With the lack of motivation and fear of failure, you are pretty much doomed.
The positive and the negative approach to the past.
The two examples described in the previous paragraph demonstrate the different approach that one can have. One is positive, and the other is negative – the first one will give you the power to overcome the challenge with ease, the second one will paralyze you.When you have the positive approach, you focus on the things that went well in your life, you remember the good experiences, interesting situations, and other stuff that brings only pleasant memories when you think of it. Even if you think of the things in the past that were negative, with this approach you are focusing on their positive aspects, and the outcome is a lesson that prevents you from making similar mistakes, making you smarter at the same time.
When you have the positive approach, you focus on the things that went well in your life, you remember the good experiences, interesting situations, and other stuff that brings only pleasant memories when you think of it. Even if you think of the things in the past that were negative, with this approach you are focusing on their positive aspects, and the outcome is a lesson that prevents you from making similar mistakes, making you smarter at the same time.
On the other hand, the negative approach to the past turns you into, well, a coward. The past dominates your life, you are afraid to move one, to make a bigger step, to focus on the present moment, or your future. It may have a destructive influence on your work, your relations with friends and family, and on your mental stability. In result, you become a grim, bitter person that sees the world in gray colors. You may still be productive and perform your duties well, but you will never be happy with the results as the bad memories from the past eat your heart out.
How to make the past your ally.
It is clear that the way we look on the past shapes our present self. With the positive approach, we not only become smarter, as we are able to learn from both our successes and failures, but we also have a bigger chance to succeed when facing difficult challenges. We are more confident, we have more trust in our decisions, and our self-esteem is higher. The self-awareness that we build up when focusing on the past may be the key to our future successes.
However, we do not want to get bogged down by the past. It may disrupt our focus on the present and make it more difficult to organize time. With the negative approach, you may find it very hard to find the will to try new things because everything will seem insufficient in comparison to the past nostalgia that dominates your thoughts. This nostalgia may also become your enemy if your approach is positive – you will waste time wondering about the great adventures or triumphs that occurred in the past, and you won’t be able to find motivation to look for new ones.
Summing Up.
It may seem pretty complicated at first glance, but once you read into it, the pieces will fall into place. Especially, when you read our next articles about the approach to the present and the future. Coming soon!