Did you know that a wandering
mind is an unhappy mind? It’s true.
It turns out that a wandering mind is an unhappy mind. And
these days our minds are always off somewhere. There’s a lot to think about—politics,
pandemics, extreme weather, oh my!
According
to a Harvard study conducted by Dr. Matt Killingsworth, our minds wander around
46.9% of the time, regardless of what activity we’re doing. It’s hard to even
imagine a day when our minds don’t wander at least a little bit. But all that
time we spend in our heads adds up, leading us to be less happy overall. So how
do we curb mind
wandering and create a happier mind?
What Is Mind Wandering?
Mind
wandering is defined as thoughts unrelated to whatever task or activity we’re
currently engaged in. Our mind can wander to positive, negative, or neutral
thoughts. When our mind is wandering, thoughts are more often focused on the
future, but when we’re feeling sad,
our mind wandering may switch to focusing more on
the past. In general, mind wandering tends to be related to our current life
concerns or self-relevant goals.
Regardless
of what our minds are wandering to, being in our heads can make it hard for us
to focus or concentrate, and frequent mind wandering puts us in a worse mood.
Perhaps this is because it’s human nature to focus on the negative — we
just have an easier time thinking about the worst possible outcomes and we have
a harder time thinking of the best possible outcomes. That means when we get
stuck in our heads, our thoughts are more likely to be negative. Perhaps unsurprisingly
then, mind wandering is also more common among people with more depression symptoms.
Luckily,
mind wandering is something that we can control! With some effort, we can pull
ourselves out of our heads and back into the present moment. By taking the
right actions, we can lessen the distressing thoughts that often come from mind
wandering. If you think mind wandering is getting you down and you want to know
how to be happier, try out these six tips for pulling back a wandering
mind.
1. Self-Reflect on Your
Mind Wandering
Pop
quiz: How often do you have thoughts running through your head? If it’s more
often than you’d like, try bringing yourself back to the present moment by
pausing and taking a few long deep breaths. You could also try doing a
moderately challenging activity, something that keeps your mind
occupied enough that your mind has a harder time wandering. Whenever
possible, just try not to create stories in your mind, ruminate on the past, or
play out future scenarios. Instead, focus your attention outward on
what’s going on in the real world.
2. If You’re a Mind
Wanderer, Stay Positive
If
you’re still struggling to shut down mind wandering, try to stay positive. Even
though research suggests that mind wandering is bad for happiness,
“positive” mind wandering seems to be the least bad. In fact, mind wandering
about positive things tends to make us just as happy as not mind wandering at
all. So if you find yourself stuck in your thoughts, try to shift
them to positive thoughts, for example by practicing gratitude, savoring
the moment, or reframing the situation to find silver linings.
3. Don’t Multitask
4. Find Things to Do,
Not Things to Think About
We
know from research that engaging in positive activities—for example,
socializing, exercising, or making love—makes us happy. But if we just spend
our time thinking about doing these things and not actually doing them, we
won’t get the positive emotional boost. That’s because thinking about an
experience is almost never more enjoyable than actually having that experience.
So go and do things, have enjoyable experiences, and watch your happiness
blossom.
5. Find Flow as Often as
You Can
Flow
is the mental state of being completely absorbed, focused, and present in
whatever you’re doing. Research on flow has found that people tend to
experience flow as positive and enjoyable. Perhaps this is because mind
wandering has come to a complete halt and we are fully living in the moment. So
whenever possible, try to do activities that you find engaging. You’ll
give yourself an easier time curbing your mind wandering and growing your
happiness.
6. Boost Attentional
Focus
Hobbiss
and colleagues suggest that reduced attentional focus is what leads to mind
wandering and other distractions. Even though many of us don’t think of
attention and focus as skills that can be improved, neuroscientists have found
that your brain can be trained in ways that strengthen attention, aid
focus, and reduce mind wandering. And because mind wandering goes hand in
hand with a bad mood, boosting our attentional skills can not only
help us stay focused but also increase our happiness. So try to improve your
attention, even if only in small ways, to boost your mood a little bit every
day.
Also
published by Think-Now.com.
Source: https://bit.ly/386UfcK
About the author
Tchiki Davis,
Ph.D., is a consultant, writer, and expert on well-being technology.
Online: The Berkeley
Well-Being Institute, Facebook, LinkedIn
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