Looks Like Zoning Out DOES Have It’s Benefits

The days leading up to my resignation were intense. I paid attention to details I didn't pay much attention to before. That's how I noticed the man who zoned out while waiting for his breakfast one morning.

I sat in the passenger seat of our car as I always do when mom drives us both to work and there was a traffic jam at Mbezi Chini near the junction that leads to Shoppers Supermarket. The jam hardly lasted a minute but I noticed a man waiting for his mihogo (cassava) to be ready.

This man (let’s call him Matthew) was standing in his office wear and his hand rolled in a fist on his waist to balance his posture as his leg slightly stood forward than the other. Matthew’s expression was blank. And he was staring at the cassavas being poked and turned in a large pot of steaming oil by Mama Ntilie.

He was staring intensely at the pot. One might think he was silently commanding the cassavas to cook faster. But really his thoughts were far away. He could have even forgotten he was there waiting for his food during rush hour.

When I saw him, I wondered if he was thinking about his life struggles. You would expect someone in deep contemplation about his life struggles would furrow his eyebrows a little or show any sort of discomfort on his face. But the expression on his face didn’t seem bothered. It looked neutral. He looked like he was hypnotised.

Our car passed quickly and I didn’t look at him for too long but the few minutes I did reminded me of how blissful it felt to zone out and get lost in your thoughts completely detached from your surroundings. It feels as though for those couple of seconds, the burdens you carry on your shoulders slip away.

I pulled out my phone and described what I saw and made a mental note to write an article about it. At the time, I thought he was in a state of meditation. That he’ll emerge from that state feeling lighter and happy.

But my assumption wasn’t correct and that’s what we’re going to discuss in this article. We’re going to understand what was happening when Matthew zoned out and whether it was good for him or not. We’re also going to see how we can make the most out of zoning out since it happens to all of us.

I posed a few questions to guide me through my research

What was the state Matthew was in called?

When my search began I came across the term “deep contemplation” which Oxford defines as “the act of thinking deeply about something”

But there was something about his fixation on the pot. You could tell he wasn’t aware of what was going on around him. I dug deeper and finally found a term that perfectly describes the state that Matthew was in. It’s called “Mind Wandering”.

What is Mind Wandering?

I was surprised to find that there are a lot of studies on Mind Wandering. I found a volume that collected different definitions of mind wandering that helped me understand Mind Wandering quickly. You can download it for free here

One paper defines “Mind wandering” as the occurrence of thoughts that are not tied to the immediate environment—thoughts that are not related to a given task at hand. Another paper adds that “One common and consistent definition is that mind wandering is when an individual's thoughts shift away from the task at hand; it is often referred to as task-unrelated thoughts”

From those two studies, we understand that Mind Wandering is a process whereby your mind is filled with thoughts that are unrelated to the task at hand or environment you're in.

Is it normal for people to be in that state unintentionally?

Yes, it's normal for everyone to get lost in their thoughts unintentionally. It's a default process that our minds engage in without any specific cues.

The creativity scholar, Keith Sawyer, compares mind wandering to an incubation-like state and says in his article that people spend more of their daily lives engaged in an incubation-like state than they probably realise. And that we're only consciously aware of one-half of our mind-wandering episodes.

In 2007, a study by Kane and colleagues was done on undergraduates that revealed that 30% of the time, their thoughts are off task. Further studies share that 96% of American adults experience mind wandering daily and it occupies up to 50% of the waking day.

Another study was done in 2017 by Kane and colleagues on undergraduates of North Carolina at Greensboro. They expanded on their previous 2007 study by using a larger sample size and measuring Working Memory Capacity more broadly among other things. The study reported an overall 32% rate of mind wandering. It cements the idea that mind wandering is generally a normal occurrence.

Subjects also reported there were times they were aware that they were mind wandering (tuned out) and there were times they weren’t aware that they were mind wandering (zoned out). 60.4% of the time they were tuned out and 39.6% of the time they were zoned out.

That means our minds can wander with or without knowing. "Zoning out" comes off more slang. The formal term is "Spontaneous Mind Wandering" where our minds wander spontaneously, unintentionally and autonomously. A formal term for“Tuning Out” is “Deliberate Mind Wandering” where the process is intentional, deliberate and controlled.

Note: I’ll use "mind wandering" and "zoning out" interchangeably in this article to mean the same thing.

When I began learning about mind wandering, I started noticing the moments I zone out spontaneously before going deeper into my thoughts. Previously I'd zone out for longer than 2 minutes when working, reading or watching a video tutorial. The mental escape is addictive! But now I can quickly pull myself out before I waste more time.

Reasons for spontaneous and deliberate mind wandering can overlap. People's minds wander to escape boredom, plan future events, entertain themselves or develop inspiration.

Is it safe to experience mind wandering?

Yes and No.

Like all things, mind wandering has its pros and cons. Understanding both will give you the chance to make the most of its creative perks without falling into its potential pitfalls, allowing you to use it wisely and stay on the right track.

Pros of Mind Wandering

Here’s why zoning out is good for you:

We have a long to-do list from the moment we wake up. And you need to have great cognitive flexibility to check most of those items. If you found the willpower to focus on a task for let’s say 1 hour, you might have a hard time switching to another task. Your brain has to stop, switch, start and focus1 on another task. I’m guilty of dragging my current task because it feels like so much work switching to another.

Lucky for us - mind wandering can facilitate this process by allowing the brain to disengage from one task and explore other thoughts. It gives you a mental break, adds mental flexibility and makes task-switching easier. From afar it would look like you moved from typing on your desk to walking towards the office printer. But actually, you were mind wandering while commanding the printer to print out the document.

When the mind is in a wandering state, it creates a mental space that is conducive to engaging in autobiographical planning. In other words, during periods of mind wandering, people often find themselves naturally and spontaneously thinking about and planning for events in their own lives that have not yet occurred. This could involve envisioning future experiences, setting personal goals, or mentally preparing for upcoming events.

For instance, during a moment of mind wandering, you might find yourself mentally picturing a future vacation and the steps it would take to make it a success.

When I started freelancing full-time, my first challenge was building a sustainable routine that would allow me to be productive when I work from home. The first few weeks were filled with a lot of trial and error. My friend advised me to shift my focus from the problem and let it sit in my brain for a while. A few days later I got a solution. I hadn't tried sleeping in the evening and working at night. And it worked perfectly!

My mind was in a state called “Incubation”. It refers to the subconscious processing of information that occurs when the mind is not actively focused on a problem or task. During mind wandering, the brain can continue to work on unresolved issues or ideas in the background. It's a bit like letting ideas simmer in the mental background. Sometimes, new solutions or insights can emerge when you return to the task at hand.

Pushing my laptop away and idly walking around the house has never failed to solve my creative problems. I had a client who requested a travel article about Forodhani Zanzibar and I hadn't figured out the flow of the article yet.

If the marvellous idea didn’t pop up after staring at a blank canvas for 1 hour, it wouldn't show up in the next hour either. So I walk and let a flood of thoughts swim in my mind. I think of the problem, explore possibilities, and let the solutions pour in. I talk to myself to get some structure and repeat the process. Most times after a few minutes of walking, I get a solution or a head start that leads to a solution.

Mind wandering has been linked to enhanced creative thinking and problem-solving abilities. When the mind is allowed to wander, it can make unexpected connections between unrelated concepts. This cognitive flexibility can be valuable in approaching problems from new perspectives that potentially lead to innovative solutions.

"How do I make Tshs. 800,000 to buy a used Macbook" I scribbled the question on my tiny notebook on a Saturday at Udsm when I was waiting for my little brother to finish his registration. I looked around the room of almost 300 people in Nkurumah Hall. My eyes moved from object to object. The ceiling, the seats, the trees outside. I was deliberately mind-wandering to get ideas. After half an hour, I got an idea. "Look for 11 people to make graphics for their Instagram feed and charge Tshs. 70,000 each"

Ideation involves the generation of new ideas. Mind wandering provides a mental space where thoughts can flow freely, undisturbed by the constraints of immediate tasks. This mental freedom can be conducive to brainstorming and the creation of new concepts. Some of the most creative and original ideas may emerge when the mind is allowed to explore various possibilities.

Cons of Mind Wandering

If mind wandering is so great, why is it so stigmatised? We don't hear "let your mind wander" a lot. We hear "focus, focus, focus!"

That’s because a large part of the research on mind wandering has emphasised its negative consequences.

Here’s why it’s bad for you to Zone Out:

1. Reduced efficiency in solving problems that need focus

Think about those moments when you're in the exam room, pencil poised over the answer sheet, and suddenly your thoughts decide to remember a joke that Chandler Bing told. Could the test BE more hard?

Research tells us that when the mind decides to wander off during critical tasks like tackling standardised tests or analytical challenges, you become less efficient. It's like trying to navigate a maze blindfolded – the path becomes trickier.

2. Mind wandering has been linked with impulsivity

Scientists have found a connection between mind wandering and impulsivity. The research shows that when your thoughts start wandering off, it's tied to making impulsive decisions. For example, you could let your thoughts go to a sugary, chocolatey treat then immediately walk towards a local store and buy a bar of chocolate without thinking twice.

A sweet treat feels nice, but these impulsive actions can sometimes lead to unintended consequences. Maybe you didn't plan on splurging on chocolate, and now you're dealing with an unplanned expense and extra calories. It's a small-scale example, but it highlights how letting your mind wander without considering the consequences can sometimes result in impulsive choices.

3. Reduced reading performance and comprehension

You know those moments when you finish reading a whole page then hit yourself on the head and say "I forgot to understand!". Your mind wandered off to thoughts you don't even remember. That's another side effect of mind wandering. Your reading performance and comprehension are reduced when you’re skimming over text that you’re not paying attention to. If you have a test, or presentation or just want to learn - you're going to waste a lot of time re-reading the same paragraphs over and over and you won't retain the information.

4. Reduced task performance

If the task you’re doing isn’t automated, then losing focus affects its performance. You can easily zone out when hand washing dishes and the plates will still be squeaky clean. But when you zone out while taking measurements so you can mount a painting, you shouldn’t be surprised when it hangs sideways. This is because mind wandering reduces task performance.

The same principle applies at work or during group projects. In professional settings, whether you're crafting a crucial report, participating in a team meeting, or collaborating on a project, a wandering mind can lead to oversights and missed details. This decline in focus doesn't just affect individual tasks but can hinder the collective success of a team or project.

5. Academic failure

It hurt when I received a failed Maths exam result back in secondary school. But I wasn’t shocked much because I’m pretty sure I used to zone out in every lesson. But with lessons I paid attention to, such as English - I passed with flying colours.

The connection between mind wandering and academic outcomes is a matter of concern. Research indicates that persistent mind wandering during educational activities is associated with an increased risk of academic failure. Students who frequently experience lapses in attention during lectures or study sessions may face challenges in information retention and academic achievement.

6. Reduced driving performance

A study was done on 17 undergraduate students at Simon Fraser University to examine the effects of mind state on driving performance in a high-fidelity driving simulator.
A high-fidelity driving simulator refers to a sophisticated and advanced driving simulator that closely replicates real-world driving conditions and experiences. These simulators are designed to mimic the various elements of actual driving, including the vehicle's handling, road conditions, traffic scenarios, and the overall driving environment.

Using a car-following procedure within the advanced driving simulator, participants were randomly prompted to signal whether they were focused on the task at hand or experiencing mind-wandering. Results showed that when mind wandering, participants showed longer response times to sudden events, drove at a higher velocity, and maintained a shorter headway distance. These findings indicate that mind-wandering affects a broad range of driving responses and may therefore lead to higher crash risk.

7. Risk of Traffic accidents

Mind wandering poses a substantial risk for traffic accidents, as indicated by a case-control study involving 955 drivers injured in motor vehicle crashes. The study, conducted in a French university hospital's adult emergency department, found that intense mind wandering—characterised by highly disrupting or distracting thoughts—was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of being responsible for a crash. The data revealed a notable difference in responsibility rates between crashes with intense mind wandering (17%) compared to those without (9%). Even after adjusting for potential factors like external distractions, negative affect, and substance use, the risk remained elevated, emphasising that intense mind wandering can compromise a driver's ability to process crucial environmental information, posing a serious threat to road safety.

8. Medical malpractice

A paper called "Medicine for the Wandering Mind," examined the phenomenon of mind wandering concerning its impact on medical practice. The paper highlights how factors like fatigue and depression, common in medical work, may intensify the occurrence of mind wandering. The psychological literature review suggests that mind wandering can lead to issues in interpreting and treating symptoms. It does this by hindering the individual’s ability to integrate current events into a broader context.

Mind wandering is difficult to control, recognize and prevent. That's why the paper advocates for mindfulness techniques in medical education programs. By addressing the potential pitfalls associated with mind wandering, integrating mindfulness training could contribute to reducing the risk of medical malpractice in the profession.

Does Mind Wandering reduce negative moods?

Some scholars say mind wandering during a boring task may help reduce or prevent a further decline in mood while others like Killingsworth and Gilbert suggest that mind wandering may cause unhappiness.

The psychologists conducted a study involving 2,250 adults, mostly male (58.8%), residing in the United States (73.9%), with an average age of 34 years. Participants were randomly selected to answer questions about their happiness, current activities, and whether their minds were wandering.

The researchers found three important things:

1. Frequent Mind Wandering:

People's minds wandered a lot. 46.9% of their day was spent on mind wandering, regardless of what they were doing. Interestingly, mind wandering was common during almost every activity, except for when they were making love. The frequency of mind wandering in real-life situations was much higher than what is usually seen in controlled experiments in a lab.

2. Impact of Activities on Mind Wandering:

Surprisingly, the type of activity people were engaged in didn't have a big impact on whether their minds wandered. Also, the nature of the activity had almost no effect on whether the thoughts were pleasant, neutral, or unpleasant.

3. Happiness and Mind Wandering:

42.5% of the time people’s minds wander to pleasant thoughts, 26.5% to unpleasant thoughts, and 31% to neutral thoughts. Despite pleasant thoughts ranking higher, it didn’t make people happier than their current activity.

People were less happy when their minds wandered to neutral or unpleasant topics compared to their current activity. The study also suggested that mind wandering was more likely the cause, rather than the result of unhappiness.

Isn't that interesting? I used to think being inside your head was the best place to be. But after I started pulling myself out of zoning out episodes and immediately checking if I felt good, I realised I didn't feel good. I actually felt bad for not living in the world I lived in a few seconds ago.

But since there's also a good side to mind wandering then we can lean into it and get the most out of it.

Sure, you can get A-HA moments when you zone out spontaneously on your bus ride to work but you'll be getting a pinch of what your brain can offer. Remember when we discussed "Incubation"? There's a simple way to increase its effectiveness when you zone out.

How to increase the effectiveness of Incubation with Mind-wandering

In my previous example, my daily routine challenge produced solutions when my mind wandered during simple tasks like dishwashing and walking around the house.

Despite over 6,000 articles on incubation between 1997 and 2007, there are conflicting reports on its effects. To address this, Sio and Ormerod conducted a meta-analysis, finding that incubation is more effective with undemanding tasks.

Another study showed that engaging in undemanding tasks during incubation led to more creative problem-solving. Baird and colleagues proposed that mind wandering enhances creativity by boosting unconscious associative processing. The evolving research suggests that mind wandering may foster creativity by introducing novel, unrelated thoughts during incubation.

So, you should pair mind wandering with undemanding tasks to enhance its effectiveness in creative problem-solving. It does this by introducing novel ideas during the process.

Is mind wandering the same as meditation?

When I saw the man lost in thought, my assumption was he was meditating since my knowledge of meditation was limited before this article.

But mind wandering is not the same as meditation. While both mind wandering and meditation involve the mind's activity, they differ in terms of intentionality, control, purpose, and the state of consciousness they aim to achieve.

Mind wandering is more spontaneous and may occur without conscious effort, while meditation is a purposeful practice that involves intentional focus and mindfulness.

Is mind wandering a spiritual act? Is it tied to religion?

As a Muslim, I had to ask myself this question lest I end up worshipping something other than Allah SWT. But after understanding what mind wandering is - my conclusion is that mind wandering is not a spiritual act nor is it tied to religion. It’s how our brains naturally function. It’s how we were created.

Like this famous study suggests “Mind wandering is ubiquitous to the human experience and may be the brain’s default process.”

How To Use Deliberate Mind Wandering For Creative Problem-Solving:

While mind wandering is often frowned upon for its negative effects, it shouldn't be overlooked. Though spontaneous mind wandering can be risky, deliberately engaging in it can have its benefits. Incorporating deliberate mind wandering in your daily life will provide you with a structured approach to creative problem-solving.

This is how you can use deliberate mind wandering for creative problem-solving:

1. Identify the time to mind-wander

Choose a specific time during an undemanding task in your routine, such as doing laundry, cleaning, cooking or a daily walk. Engaging in an undemanding task provides a conducive environment for mind-wandering, as it allows your mind to naturally drift without the pressure of a demanding activity. This structured yet relaxed setting can enhance the effectiveness of deliberate mind wandering compared to attempting it with no task at all.

2. Recognize and reduce distraction during that time

Create an environment that minimises external distractions. Turn off notifications and avoid engaging with podcasts or music during this undemanding task. This will allow your mind to freely explore without additional stimuli.

3. Prepare the mind with relevant content

Before your mind-wandering session, expose yourself to relevant content such as pictures, videos, songs, or articles related to the problem or topic you want to explore. This primes your mind and provides a starting point for creative thinking.

4. Intentionally mind-wander on the desired topic

During the designated undemanding time, deliberately let your mind roam freely around the chosen topic or problem. Encourage creative associations, explore unconventional ideas, and allow your thoughts to flow without rigid constraints. This intentional mind-wandering process can foster creative insights and potential solutions.

If you follow that step-by-step approach to deliberate mind wandering you’ll get solutions to persisting life and work challenges making you way happier or at least satisfied than zoning out in the middle of a conversation only to tune back in and wonder what the person’s name was again?

About Author

Hi! I’m Schola, a freelance writer for your online content. If you need a sharp writer to get your brand popular - send me a message on LinkedIn or an email to contactscholastica@gmail.com. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

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