3 June 2011
Successful Intentions Newsletter
Wake up ,
You’re daydreaming again!
Although, perhaps that’s no bad thing. Research shows daydreaming can be a way of stimulating creativity.
Daydreaming seems to be linked to a network of neurons in the brain dedicated to autobiographical mental imagery. This network is called “the default network”, because it’s active when we’re not concentrating and it appears to be essential to generating our sense of self.
Most of us spend about 30% of our waking hours spacing out, drifting, lost in thought. This inner world is a place where we can rehearse the future and imagine new adventures without risk.
These may be positive-constructive daydreams, which include positive and imaginative thoughts. But they may also be “dysphoric” – visions of failure or punishment. We generally experience both kinds.
Allowing the mind to float freely can allow access to unconscious ideas hovering just below the surface. That “Ah ha!” moment of creative insight can emerge when you stop focusing so intensely on a particular problem and let your mind wander. Some of the greatest inventions in history have emerged this way.
Albert Einstein pictured himself running along a light wave – a daydream that led to his theory of special relativity.
But it’s important to pay attention to your daydreams if you want to enhance creativity. You need to have the “mind-wandering” process, but you also need to notice what you’re doing – to be able to recognize “that’s a creative idea that popped into my head!”
It seems allowing your mind to ramble during a moderately challenging task allows you to access ideas not easily available to the conscious mind, and to combine these insights in new ways.
So, how do you know if your daydreaming is “lost in space”, or if there’s really something of value going on between your ears?
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First, notice whether you’re getting any useful insights from your fantasies, or whether you’re simply “out to lunch”.
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Second, notice the content of your daydreams. Ask yourself, “Is this something useful, helpful, valuable, or pleasant?”
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Third, if your daydreaming feels out of control, even if it’s pleasant, then it’s probably not particularly useful.
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Finally, it all depends on the context. It may be perfectly reasonable for a scientist to mentally “check out” during repetitive tasks, or for a writer to draw inspiration from an imaginary world. What is the typical context for your daydreaming?
Some daydreaming can be an escape from reality, or a way of avoiding what needs to be done. Compulsive daydreaming is a unique disorder and may be a way for some people to deal with intolerable realities.
But for most of us, allowing the mind to roam freely and imaginatively now and then can be a wonderful adventure!
Check out the Practice of Wisdom Psychology blog for musings, research, and applications of practical wisdom.
Keep your intentions clear,
Peter Webb
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