Is It Good or Bad to Zone Out, Space Out or Daydream?

Whether you call it zoning out, spacing out or daydreaming, we spend up to 47 percent of our waking lives letting our minds wander. This week, the Savvy Psychologist explains why mind wandering happens, when it’s good, when it’s bad—and how it might even lead to your own "Eureka!" moment

By Savvy Psychologist Ellen Hendriksen

Join Our Community of Science Lovers!

Scientific American presents Savvy Psychologist by Quick & Dirty Tips. Scientific American and Quick & Dirty Tips are both Macmillan companies.

This week, we answer a question from Savvy listener, Phillip L. He’s been following the latest research connecting daydreaming and creativity, and asks if daydreaming is so great, why isn’t it more satisfying? Why do we feel like we’re wasting time?

The short answer is that, in a culture that values productivity and goal-directed behavior, daydreaming is looked at, at best, as a momentary distraction--and at worst, irresponsible loafing. But it turns out that daydreaming, zoning out, and spacing out--collectively called "mind wandering" by psychological researchers--is a mixed bag, with both benefits and costs.

On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.

What is Mind Wandering?
But before we get into that, let’s define "mind wandering," so we’re all zoning out on the same page, as it were. Mind wandering is “a shift of attention away from a primary task, toward internal information,” or “stimulus-independent thought.” In other words, it’s what’s happening when you’re trying to read "War and Peace," but your mind is planning dinner. Or when you’ve been staring at the TV, but you suddenly realize you have no idea what Phil and Claire are talking about.

Mind wandering happens on two levels: one, when we realize we’re not on task, and two, when we’re not even aware that our mind is drifting. The latter, mind wandering without awareness, is officially called "zoning out."

> Continue reading on QuickAndDirtyTips.com

Subscribe to Support Independent Journalism

Great science journalism requires human expertise, time, effort and creativity. And it costs money. That’s why I and the journalists here at Scientific American hope you’ll join our community.

When you subscribe, you are supporting staff and freelance journalists who are passionate about telling science stories that are true, important and compelling. Our editors and reporters are often experts in their fields, which means they understand the nuances of big discoveries and can untangle the breakthroughs from the hype. With a subscription, you are also supporting rigorous fact-checking to ensure the words we publish are precise and accurate. And you’re supporting original illustrations, graphics and photos that bring you closer to an advanced laboratory, an ice sheet in Antarctica or a space mission in orbit. You’re helping us craft other types of high-quality journalism as well: Our newsletters are carefully written, edited and curated by staffers you have or will come to know and love. Our Science Quickly podcast is based on original reporting, collaboration with editors and scientists and exacting production.

Subscriptions keep this engine running so we can continue to deliver thoughtful, rigorous and independent science journalism to you. In an era of viral misinformation, this work is crucial. If you value what we do, I hope you’ll consider joining us as a subscriber

Thank you,

Jeanna Bryner, Editor in Chief, Scientific American