Why You Should Put Down Your Phone and Daydream Instead

At any bus stop or while waiting in line, most people will have their heads down looking at their phones. Recent research found that many people check their phones at least 50 times per day. But studies suggest that if you resist that urge and let your mind wander instead, there could be some serious benefits. Giving yourself time to daydream seems to be good for your well-being, for problem-solving and maybe even for your relationships.

Daydreaming has been a subject of scientific research for decades. We spend as much as half our time awake daydreaming or listening to our own thoughts — but it isn’t always a pleasant experience. In one famous study, participants preferred to get an electric shock rather than sit quietly with their own thoughts. This is one explanation for why so many people reflexively reach for their phones during any moment of downtime.

“Daydreaming seems to be one route to having that kind of more meaningful, fuller life,” said Erin Westgate, an assistant professor of social psychology at the University of Florida. “It might not be as easy as pulling out your cellphone, but there’s sort of a deeper meaning to it.”

She compared idly scrolling on a phone to “cognitive junk food” — meaning it might feel good in the moment, but it doesn’t really do much for us. “So much of what we’ve accomplished as humans has come from higher-order thinking,” Westgate said.

Read the whole story (subscription may be required): The Washington Post