What to do with your thoughts.
When the Past Takes Energy From the Present
There are days when we’re simply trying to
focus — trying to work, create, organize, or move life forward — and yet energy
gets pulled away by thoughts from the past.
Even after you have come through struggles
such as a disappointment, a loss, an unfair situation or a failure, and let’s
say you are now in a relatively good place and life has given you space to move
forward, the mind doesn’t always move on at the same pace as life. How do you
bring your energy back to what you want to focus on? How do you stop unhelpful
thoughts from taking energy away from your growth?
The difficult situation is over, yet the
echoes of it still interrupt focus. These thoughts don’t always arrive by
choice. But when they repeatedly take attention,
they drain the energy needed for the present moment. They slow progress,
scatter focus, and make simple tasks feel heavier than they should.
When this happens, especially while trying to concentrate, here are
three ways to bring attention back:
Schedule. Recenter. Switch.
·
Schedule = give the thought a future place.
·
Recenter = remember what deserves your energy.
·
Switch = return to the immediate task.
1] Schedule the thought: give it a place, then return to the present
When an old memory or feeling shows up in
the middle of the day, frustration often follows. But fighting the thought can
sometimes make it louder. Instead of focusing on the task, the mind ends up
wrestling with the thought itself, searching for answers or closure that may
not be available. The moment a memory appears cannot always be controlled, but
it doesn’t have to be dealt with right now.
Just pause. Then schedule it. Give the thought
a time slot. Instead of forcing yourself to “let it go,” imagine placing the
thought somewhere:
- If it’s something that genuinely needs
processing, schedule time for it later in the day or during the week.
- If it’s something unhelpful that doesn’t
need revisiting often, schedule it for a particular day of the month. For
example, at the end of the month, on a particular day and at a particular time.
This isn’t denial. It’s simply telling the brain:
This will be handled, just not at this moment.
When that scheduled time arrives, your mood
may be different. The thought may no longer feel as important.
If you have gone through something serious and need to work through it as part of your healing process, then give it the attention it needs. If it no longer feels important or you don't need to address it, you can simply move on.
2. Recenter yourself
To see things differently, bring your attention back to what matters.
Decide what is worth your energy.
Bring forward the thoughts that anchor you
and that actually matter in your life. Remind yourself of the things that deserve your energy. Let them take
up mental space. Let your attention be grounded in what matters.
What deserves attention today?
What moves life forward?
What feels meaningful?
What brings excitement?
What brings clarity or calm?
What gives your life meaning?
What you’re building or creating
Who you’re becoming
The goals that excite you
The routines that support you
The relationships that strengthen you
The future you’re moving toward
Bringing your attention back to what matters can mean:
- pursuing goals
- creating things
- improving routines
- managing focus
- becoming more energized
- strengthening relationships
A situation can be seen differently. Energy can be reclaimed. Attention can return to what matters.
3. Switch back to the task at hand
Once the thought is scheduled and your attention is recentered, switch back to what you were doing.
Use grounding questions:
- What is
happening right now?
- What matters today?
- Where should my energy go?
- What is the goal of this moment?
- What is the smallest next step I can take?
These questions anchor the mind in the
present, the only place where life happens.
Approach 2: When You Know Something Is Bothering You
Schedule Ahead
Sometimes, you know that a particular issue may weigh on your mind during the day. You may be having a difficult day, or you may anticipate that thoughts about something unresolved will keep returning and upsetting you.
Instead of waiting for those thoughts to interrupt your day, you can take a more deliberate approach.
Schedule a time to revisit the issue.
When that time arrives, deliberately bring the issue to mind. Give yourself the opportunity to think it through. Explore what is bothering you, consider the situation from different perspectives, and decide whether there is anything you can do about it.
When you've given the issue the attention it needs for now, consciously set it aside. Remind yourself that you've made time for it and that you don't need to keep returning to it throughout the day.
Then, recenter yourself on what matters and switch back to the task at hand.
You can schedule these check-ins more than once during the day if you need to. A reminder can prompt you to revisit the issue deliberately, work through what you can, and set it aside again before it takes up more of your attention. Over time, you may also become more aware of when your thoughts are beginning to pull you away from the present.
If the thoughts return between check-ins, gently remind yourself that you've already made time for the issue. You can return to it at another scheduled time if necessary.
This isn't about ignoring a problem or forcing yourself not to think about it. It's about choosing when to engage with it, rather than allowing it to repeatedly take over your attention and emotions.
You can also explore the Box It method, which we'll look at in a future post.
The techniques shared in this series are for personal exploration and are not intended as psychological treatment or a substitute for professional advice. Different approaches work for different people and situations.
In the next issue, we’ll continue exploring focus and your thoughts.
