When you’re doing a menial task at work, think to the future. What do you want to be doing later tonight? What do you want to be doing a year from now? How do you want your life to unfold? Indulge in some daydreams of a happy future for yourself. Some studies indicate zoning out and thinking of the future has some evolutionary benefit. It helps us get a clear sense of what we want, allowing us to make serious plans to achieve our goals. Researchers also find people who zone out to focus on the future have higher working memories.
Daydream about things that are realistic. Studies show that people who daydream about things that are unobtainable tend to be more unhappy. Focus your daydreams on your current relationships and things that could very well happen in the near future. For example, daydream about going to brunch with your closest friends. Daydreaming can help you improve your memory if you focus your daydreams on your current situation. Daydreaming about faraway places and fantasy lands can be harmful to memory. However, you can instead focus your daydreams on places and people that surround you. This can help sharpen your memory as you’ll have to imagine faces and images that are familiar to you.
Let your mind explore intellectual reveries. If you’re trying to read a book, for example, you may suddenly be reminded of another novel, forming a literary connection between the two works. Instead of cutting off this trail, allow your mind to pursue this thought. Zoning out while reading may allow you to make a connection you would otherwise miss.
Keep in mind, however, daydreams should mostly be realistic in nature. Limit more fantastic mental vacations to occasions of extreme stress and boredom. If you want to keep your mind grounded in the realistic, take a mental vacation to a place you’ve already been. Visit a favorite childhood vacation spot, for example.
Do not zone out during times when you need to concentrate. Zoning out during work or school, or while taking a test, is a bad idea. You should also not zone out in conversation with another person, as this can be considered rude. Avoid zoning out when doing tasks like driving. This could potentially cause a dangerous situation.
There are little tasks we have to do every day that can get cumbersome. While you’re chopping onions for dinner, it’s appropriate to zone out for a moment. Life is full of dull moments that can be made better by zoning out. For example, you may have downtime during work for about half an hour each Wednesday. This would be a good time to let your mind wander.
If you’re struggling with a creative project, stop. Allow yourself to have some distance from the work. Do an activity that allows you to zone out. Go for a walk. Take a bath. Lay on the couch and close your eyes for a bit. You’ll have a variety of random thoughts when you zone out that may connect to the task at hand. While you may not directly see the connections playing out, you may find it’s easier to concentrate when you return to the work. You may find it’s easier to complete the projects, as you’ll suddenly be seeing connections in the work that you missed before.
If you’re having an ongoing issue, address it when zoning out during menial tasks. You do not need to focus on washing dishes, as it’s likely something you do every day. Instead, turn your attention to problems that are weighing on your mind. Say you’ve been having a conflict with a coworker. As you zone out, think of ways to solve the problem. Imagine successful interactions with this person. Try to put yourself in your coworkers shoes. You may find zoning out during dull moments helps you see solutions you previously missed.
If you’ve been zoning out for much of the day, try to find ways to focus your attention on the present. You could, for example, observe your surroundings using all your senses. You could also read a book, do a crossword puzzle, or do another mentally demanding task.
