How to harness the power of daydreaming to live a happier life – in four steps
We’re all guilty of it. You get a few precious moments to yourself and what do you do? Pick up your phone and. . . scroll.
The average user spends at least three hours a day on their mobile.*
But, it turns out, swapping doomscrolling for a spot of daydreaming could be the key to a happier life.
Whether it’s a scenario where you’re winning the Lottery or dating The Rivals’ Rupert Campbell-Black, we’ve all slipped into a daydream. And now, experts say it could actually be good for us.
“Numerous studies have linked daydreaming to improved creativity and problem-solving, as well as the reduction of stress and anxiety,” says Caragh Medlicott, author of The Focus Fix: Finding Clarity, Creativity And Resilience In An Overwhelming World.
“We daydream less as we get older, for the same reason we stop playing games,” says co-author Chris Griffiths.
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“As children, we are enthralled by our own imaginations, yet in adulthood this seems a waste of time.
"Culturally, we’re told that daydreaming is a bad thing – whether it’s a teacher telling you off for staring out of the window at school, or feeling guilty for zoning out at a work meeting, we regard daydreaming as an unfortunate accident rather than an important cognitive state.”
Get ready to discover how daydreams could be life-changing. . .
The Science bit
Daydreaming is more than just staring into space.
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In 2009, researchers at the University of British Columbia found that letting your mind wander triggers an area of the brain associated with more complex tasks, suggesting we are doing some serious problem-solving while in a dreamy state.
A review of research in the Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology discussed reasons humans daydream, one of which was “exploring potential scenarios and planning steps we might need.”
While tasks such as taking the bins out are done on autopilot, some jobs require admin, like a phone call, an application or research online.
Daydreaming gives us the time to think through the necessary steps to finally tick something off the to-do list.
Other reasons for daydreaming were “generating original ideas” and “reawakening interest in repetitive routines”.
But like everything, there’s also a downside, and letting your mind wander can be unhelpful if you are feeling low and are prone to rumination.
“Excessive amounts of daydreaming can result in impaired coping ability, procrastination, sleep disturbance and feeling disconnected from reality,” says Dr William Van Gordon, associate professor of contemplative psychology at the University of Derby.
“It can also be a sign of escapism, when someone tries to avoid accepting and facing a particular situation by switching off and getting lost in their inner world.”
Take a break
How often do you take a few minutes away from your busy day and simply stare out of the window?
Research has found that allowing your mind a break from daily stressors can reduce anxiety.** “While anxiety tends to cause us to dwell in one mental spot, mind wandering sends us off on an adventure,” says Caragh.
“It’s a mental state that is connective and free-moving. Much like the dreaming we do while sleeping, it gives our subconscious time to chew over information and spit out creative ideas and novel solutions.
It also offers our focused mind some respite, so we can come back to our tasks feeling recharged and likely more imaginative.”
Reconnect with yourself
Ever find yourself daydreaming about the perfume your granny wore, or the feeling of your favourite blanket as a child?
Although tiredness and boredom may play a part in why we daydream, there can be other triggers, says Dr Sophie Mort, a clinical psychologist and mental health expert for Headspace.
“Daydreams are usually about topics unrelated to what we are meant to be doing at any given moment,” she says. “But you might smell something that reminds you of a special day in your childhood, or see something that makes you think of a trip you intend to book in the future.
Suddenly, you find yourself in an imaginary world, and it often involves reliving a past experience, making plans for the future or thinking about a great hope.”
A study led by the University of Sheffield found that those who daydream about a significant other, such as a sibling, friend or partner, had “increased feelings of love, connection, and belonging.”
If you can’t physically see someone you care about, daydreaming about them can help keep those connections strong. Who needs FaceTime when you have the power of your mind?
Dream the Daydream
To tap into the benefits of daydreaming, the advice is simple – make time for it. “We’ve seen a huge increase in the popularity of mindfulness techniques such as meditation in recent years, so why can’t we carve out time for daydreaming?” asks Chris.
“While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how you can induce a daydreaming state, you probably already know the type of situation that causes you to zone out.
"Identifying this will enable you to then recreate the right environment for factoring regular daydream breaks into your overall routine.
"Maybe it’s going for a run or walk, working through chores at home, sitting on public transport or even doodling.
"A rhythmic activity such as running or walking can help induce a near trance-like state in which our mind naturally begins to wander.”
At least if your mind wanders most while doing the chores, you’ll have the bonus of a cleaner home! If you can’t squeeze daydreaming into daily life, try it when you’re struggling to find the solution to a problem.
“Consider every angle, and do so without thinking about potential solutions,” says Chris. “This provides fodder for your subconscious to work with so that it might pick through the problem and ultimately throw up a truly unique solution while you’re thinking of something else entirely.”
You can also use daydreaming intentionally to plan for the future. “Do you want daydreaming to simply be enjoyable or would you like it to help you start building a path to a future life goal?” asks Dr Mort.
“If it’s the latter, hold this plan lightly as daydreaming unfolds, allowing your mind to wander, as you might find the goal-setting nature stifles your ability to relax into it.
"Then start thinking about your topic. Set the scene. What colours, smells, and people are there? What is happening? Try to do this when you’re happy and relaxed, as it’s not the aim to turn it into a worry session. Stop a daydream if it becomes this and come back to it when you feel more upbeat.”
Whatever you try, there’s one rule – get off your phone! “One of the best ways to switch off and allow our minds to have some downtime is by putting away our mobile phone, laptop and other electronic devices,” says Dr Mort.
“Not having access to emails, text messages or the ability to ‘check in’ means that we have the space to engage our minds with thinking about other people and activities.”
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- Sources: *Data Reportal and Statista
- **University of British Columbia
- The Focus Fix by Chris Griffiths & Caragh Medlicott (£14.99, Kogan Page) is out now