{"id":59120,"date":"2022-02-13T08:20:51","date_gmt":"2022-02-13T12:20:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=59120"},"modified":"2022-02-27T19:17:25","modified_gmt":"2022-02-27T23:17:25","slug":"scatterfocus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/scatterfocus\/","title":{"rendered":"Scatterfocus: The Benefits of Letting Your Mind Wander"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What is &#8220;scatterfocus&#8221;? What are the benefits of letting your mind be in the scatterfocus state?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Scatterfocus&#8221; is intentional mind-wandering\u2014letting your mind roam free without any point of focus. According to Chris Bailey, the author of <em>Hyperfocus<\/em>, practicing &#8220;scatterfocus&#8221; can actually help you improve your ability to focus your attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep reading to learn about the benefits of intentional mind-wandering, why you resist it, and why you should do it anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-benefits-of-scatterfocus\">The Benefits of Scatterfocus<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you hyperfocus, you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/attention-management-strategies\/\">direct your attention<\/a> to a cognitively demanding task that takes up most of your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/improve-working-memory-moonwalking-with-einstein\/\">working memory<\/a>. Bailey explains that in order to intentionally mind-wander, you do the opposite: You deliberately leave a lot of room in your working memory, which causes the mind to wander.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Why Does Your Mind Wander?&nbsp;<\/strong><br><br>Bailey states that leaving room in your working memory gives your mind the space it needs to wander, but it\u2019s unclear <em>why<\/em> your mind wanders when you give it that space. He does state that intentional mind-wandering \u201clights up your brain\u2019s default network\u2014the network it returns to when you\u2019re not focused on something.\u201d Research indicates that the default network is active when your mind wanders. So it\u2019s possible that having spare working memory activates your brain\u2019s default network and thus causes your mind to wander.&nbsp;<br><br>But having spare working memory is also the reason you <em>notice<\/em> that your mind has wandered, which further complicates the relationship between spare working memory and mind-wandering. This may explain why Bailey skips the neuroscientific explanation and instead just states that the more working memory you have available, the more your mind wanders.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-you-resist-intentional-mind-wandering\">Why You Resist Intentional Mind-Wandering<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ll cover Bailey\u2019s specific techniques for intentional mind-wandering in the next section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But first: why would you want to intentionally mind-wander? After all, you just spent several pages <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/learning-strategies-for-students\/\">learning techniques<\/a> to prevent your mind from wandering so that you could hyperfocus on your highest-impact tasks. Furthermore, you likely dislike the idea of intentional mind-wandering\u2014a preference Bailey attributes to your biological tendencies.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bailey suggests that people resist the idea of intentional mind-wandering because they\u2019re terrified of being left alone with their own thoughts. As we\u2019ve discussed, your focus is naturally drawn to potential dangers\u2014a disposition that kept us alive in primitive times.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But in modern times, external dangers are few. Bailey posits that the biggest threats we encounter are our own fears and anxieties. Bailey argues that we avoid letting our minds wander because we assume that if we do, we\u2019ll have to face these threats, aka our fears and anxieties\u2014which we dislike doing because it\u2019s unpleasant. And in the modern world, you never have to sit with your thoughts if you don\u2019t want to. You always have access to something, like your smartphone, that can distract you from your own mind. (Shortform note: It\u2019s possible that this reliance on our phones increases our resistance to intentional mind-wandering. If you never <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-let-your-mind-wander\/\">let your mind wander<\/a> because it\u2019s scary, you might mentally exaggerate how scary mind-wandering is\u2014which causes you to avoid it even more.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>(Shortform note: Bailey doesn\u2019t explicitly state this, but there are presumably two elements of mind-wandering that stress people out: The idea that we have to be totally alone with our thoughts, and the idea that we also can\u2019t use our phones. If you struggle with being alone in general, this <em>New York Times<\/em> article has several suggestions\u2014like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2019\/10\/28\/smarter-living\/the-benefits-of-being-alone.html\">starting small and realizing that excessive stress may be a sign you need professional support.<\/a> If you\u2019re intimidated by your own thoughts, it also suggests journaling as a method for processing those emotions.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-you-should-practice-intentional-mind-wandering\">Why You Should Practice Intentional Mind-Wandering<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>However, Bailey argues, this resistance is unfounded: While our minds do ruminate on negative thoughts when they wander towards the past, they only wander towards the past 12% of the time. (Shortform note: Interestingly, the paper that found that people\u2019s minds wander 47% of the time also found that <a href=\"https:\/\/wjh-www.harvard.edu\/~dtg\/KILLINGSWORTH%20&amp;%20GILBERT%20(2010).pdf\">mind-wandering decreases our mood no matter the topic<\/a>. As we\u2019ll see later, Bailey cites this portion of the study but argues that it decreases your mood only when the mind-wandering is involuntary. The study discusses only unintentional mind-wandering, so it\u2019s not clear if the authors would agree with Bailey.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More importantly, Bailey explains that mind-wandering isn\u2019t inherently bad. Mind-wandering is only problematic during hyperfocus because it distracts you from your original intention and reduces your productivity. But mind-wandering has several benefits.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-mind-wandering-helps-you-plan-for-the-future\"><strong>#1: Mind-Wandering Helps You Plan for the Future<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>When our mind wanders, we spend 88% of this time thinking about either the present or the future. Both are essential for our success. We can\u2019t simultaneously focus on and reflect on a task\u2014so our wandering thoughts about the present allow us to reflect and consider alternate solutions to our problems. Conversely, our thoughts about the future allow us to think about our long-term goals and adjust our present circumstances so that we can achieve them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Why You Must Mind-Wander to Think About the Future<\/strong><br><br>You may argue that you can reflect on your current tasks and think about the future without necessarily letting your mind wander\u2014you could, for example, hyperfocus on discovering what\u2019s wrong with your current approach or thinking up how you\u2019ll increase your finances by 10% next year.<br><br>For reasons that are unclear, Bailey appears to think this is impossible, arguing that you must \u201cstep back\u201d to \u201cconsider alternative approaches to the task,\u201d and that \u201cwithout entering scatterfocus mode, you never think about the future.\u201d&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-mind-wandering-increases-our-creativity\"><strong>#2: Mind-Wandering Increases Our Creativity<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Creativity involves <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/personal-connections\/\">making connections<\/a> between disparate fields in our brain. When we let our minds wander, we give ourselves the mental space we need to make these connections. (Shortform note: We\u2019ll elaborate more on this in our discussion about creativity, in Chapters 8-9.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-mind-wandering-lets-us-rest\"><strong>#3: Mind-Wandering Lets Us Rest<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Previously, we discussed how regulating our behavior exhausts our brain. When you let your mind roam free, you stop regulating your behavior. So mind-wandering gives your brain a break and helps you recharge. (Shortform note: We\u2019ll elaborate more on this in our discussion about rest, in Chapter 7.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-benefits-of-intentional-mind-wandering\">The Benefits of Intentional Mind-Wandering&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Technically, you can experience the benefits of mind-wandering whether it\u2019s intentional or not. But <strong>mind-wandering intentionally maximizes the benefits of mind-wandering.<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Firstly, Bailey explains that <strong>in order to experience the full benefits of mind-wandering, you need to remember what you thought of\u2014<\/strong>which you can do better if you\u2019re mind-wandering intentionally. As we\u2019ll see, a common thread in Bailey\u2019s intentional mind-wandering techniques is to pay attention to and write down the thoughts you have so you don\u2019t forget them. For example, a creative insight you gain while mind-wandering is useless if you can\u2019t remember what it was. But if your mind wanders unintentionally, you may not even notice that your mind has wandered\u2014so you\u2019re far less likely to remember any creative insights you have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><tbody><tr><td><strong>Why Memory Techniques Don\u2019t Work When Mind-Wandering<\/strong><br><br>You might assume that you can increase the likelihood that you\u2019ll remember what you think of when your mind wanders by improving your memory more generally. But <a href=\"https:\/\/shortform.com\/app\/book\/moonwalking-with-einstein\/part-2\">most memory techniques\u2014like the ones <em>Moonwalking with Einstein<\/em> describes\u2014involve transforming information into a form your brain is naturally inclined to remember<\/a>.<br><br>To do this, you must focus on the piece of information, which will stop your mind from wandering. Of course, writing down the thoughts you have also forces you to focus momentarily. But writing down the thoughts you have is easy and likely disrupts your mind-wandering less, whereas trying to transform your thoughts in order to remember them presumably requires more <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/mental-energy\/\">mental energy<\/a> and is thus more disruptive.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Secondly, <strong>intentional mind-wandering allows you to experience only the benefits of mind-wandering and avoid its potentially unpleasant effects<\/strong>. For example, Bailey notes that some things that cause mind-wandering have unpleasant side effects: Namely, boredom makes your mind wander but also makes you feel anxious. If you mind-wander <em>intentionally<\/em>, you can experience only the benefits of mind-wandering and avoid feeling anxious. (Shortform note: If you ever feel bored again, reframe your perspective to reduce your anxiety: Think of it as the ideal moment to try intentionally mind-wandering.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Similarly, unintentional mind-wandering is a major source of distraction during hyperfocus, which makes it a type of double-edged sword. On the one hand, if your mind wanders unintentionally during a hyperfocus session, you might be happy if\u2014for example\u2014you gain a creative insight. On the other hand, since your mind is wandering, your hyperfocus session isn\u2019t as productive as you want it to be. Intentional mind-wandering allows you to avoid this quandary altogether: You focus when you need to focus and let your mind wander when you want it to wander.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bailey also notes that involuntary mind-wandering worsens your mood\u2014and even if you\u2019re thinking about a positive topic, mind-wandering doesn\u2019t significantly boost your mood. He posits that intentional mind-wandering doesn\u2019t worsen your mood because your mind is doing what you want it to so you don\u2019t feel stressed or guilty about it. (Shortform note: Unintentional mind-wandering normally worsens your mood, but not always: One study found that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3755259\/#B15\">unintentional mind-wandering about something interesting is associated with a more positive mood<\/a>.)&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Therefore, in order to access the benefits of mind-wandering, Bailey recommends intentional mind-wandering.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What is &#8220;scatterfocus&#8221;? What are the benefits of letting your mind be in the scatterfocus state? &#8220;Scatterfocus&#8221; is intentional mind-wandering\u2014letting your mind roam free without any point of focus. According to Chris Bailey, the author of Hyperfocus, practicing &#8220;scatterfocus&#8221; can actually help you improve your ability to focus your attention. Keep reading to learn about the benefits of intentional mind-wandering, why you resist it, and why you should do it anyway.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":59127,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43,30],"tags":[566],"class_list":["post-59120","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-self-improvement","category-work","tag-hyperfocus","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Scatterfocus: The Benefits of Letting Your Mind Wander - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"According to Chris Bailey, practicing &quot;scatterfocus&quot; can actually help you improve your ability to focus your attention. Here&#039;s how.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/scatterfocus\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Scatterfocus: The Benefits of Letting Your Mind Wander\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"According to Chris Bailey, practicing &quot;scatterfocus&quot; can actually help you improve your ability to focus your attention. 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