![]() ![]() Acting upon these goals is another matter, naturally, but strategic laziness allows us to set intentions and recall our goals in the first place. We also think about our long-term goals seven times as frequently when our attention is at rest. Research shows we think about the future 14 times more often when our attention is scattered, compared to when we’re focused. Doing something habitual has also been shown to lead to more creative insights. To extend these energy benefits, it helps to do something pleasurable, effortless and habitual while you rest your attention, such as investing in a creative hobby, running without music or walking to get a coffee without your phone to distract you. This makes the mode energy-restorative, which helps us focus more deeply later. When we choose to let our mind wander - I call this state of deliberate mind wandering “scatterfocus” - we don’t have to regulate our attention. When our attention is at rest, we’re at rest. ![]() An idle mind allows us to do three critical things: The exact percentages don’t matter much - instead, it’s worth highlighting that this wandering isn’t as unproductive as we may think. For the time that remains, our mind is typically dull or blank. The places our mind wanders to include the future (48% of the time), the present (28%) and the past (12% of the time). One study, which periodically sampled people’s thoughts while their minds were wandering, confirmed this. When our attention is at rest - like during bouts of idleness or laziness - our mind wanders to fascinating places. There’s a reason why your brain chose this moment to connect these swirling ideas. ![]()
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