Do you ever daydream while you’re at work? If you do, you might think that you’re wasting time and being unproductive. But actually, research has shown that this isn’t the case. You may not realize it, but daydreaming is actually a good problem-solving technique!
Studies have shown that it can benefit you in the following ways:
- Get the big picture – When you’re dealing with a difficult problem, you can sometimes get bogged down in the details. Daydreaming can help you to envision the big picture. You can develop a better understanding of where you’d like to be in the future and what you need to do to get there.
- Develop new ideas – Recent research has shown that if you stop thinking about a problem and let your mind drift, you can actually come up with some unique and innovative ideas. Even though you may not be thinking about the problem directly, your mind will still be working on it in the background. Thinking about nothing for a few minutes gives your brain the chance to see new patterns and make new connections.
- Choose the best approach – Sometimes, you might feel pressured to fix a problem immediately, even if it’s not the best solution. But daydreaming can help to alleviate that pressure. Research has shown that daydreaming can help you to see the problem from a unique perspective and choose the best approach to solving it – even if it might take more time and effort. Daydreaming helps you to work towards something better rather than going for a quick fix.
So the next time you’re stuck on a project and you don’t know how to move forward, it’s not a bad idea to take a break and do a little daydreaming. Kick back, relax, and let your mind wander. You just might find the answer that you’re looking for!
Fisher, A. (2015, July 29). 3 ways daydreaming can make you more productive. Fortune. Retrieved from http://fortune.com/2015/07/29/daydreaming-work-productivity/
