Engaging with Daydreaming and Letting One's Mind Wander Constructively

"Thinking about the immortality of the crab" or in Spanish: "pensando en la immortalidad del cangrejo" is a Spanish idiom about daydreaming and procrastrination. It is a humorous response to say that one wasn't sitting around doing nothing, but rather engaging productively in contemplation and philosophical thought. Is there such a thing as productive daydreaming and what can we get out of engaging with airy thoughts seemingly leading nowhere? How do we engage with procrastination and thinking in a more conscientious way and what thoughts should we engage with and which ones should we not engage with? Let's also note that when we speak of "productivity" it doesn't necessarily entail to our modern standard of performing well at our jobs and maintaining a high octane pace in our lives, but rather let us think of productivity as a positive gain in all facets of our lives, and as a practice that brings us satisfaction, purpose and the means to reach our goals in life.

Differentiating between thoughts

The first thing we have to do is be able to discern between different types of daydreaming and thoughts. Simply we can categorise these into constructive and non-constructive, and while it is a spectrum and surely most our thoughts fall somewhere in-between the two the most important thing here is to be able to tell which thoughts are absolutely non-constructive. Non-constructive thoughts can be thoughts that lead you nowhere, or that constantly question your decision making; thinking about all possible outcomes will freeze your mind and you will become paralysed by choice. These thoughts lead only to procrastination. Another tell-tale sign of non-constructive daydreaming is negativity. Let us not mistake negativity for scepticism and a healthy dose of critical thinking; it is good to consider potential setbacks but only so far as you're actively working on resolving them. Only thinking about the worst imaginable outcome does not serve you well, and to only consider the bad in the world is unhealthy. Dare yourself to imagine the best possible outcome for a change. Don't let pessimism rule your mind, and do not dwell in the dark abyss of your consciousness.

Constructive thoughts are creative, imaginative and usually positive. Beware a false sense of positivity however, and be prepared for possible setbacks. Constructive daydreaming is adaptive and not set in stone, consider all different angles and try to find the one best aligned with your personal beliefs and ideals. If we plan too much and only set our mind to one thing we are often depressed to learn that life might have other things in store for us. Constructive thoughts are open to the possibility of change and adapts quickly to it. Constructive thinking is done in such a manner that it provides us with benefits rather than encumber us with meaningless meanderings. E.g when thinking about what you are to have for lunch, think about the impact this meal has on you rather than immediately what you want to eat or that will sate your hunger. Is this meal beneficial to your well-being, your finances and your ideals? Rather than daydreaming about all different kinds of foods you can have, consider what suits you best today, and once the decision is made do not linger on other possibilities or fantasy about the meal in question.

Constructive thoughts help you achieve what you want to achieve and it entails thinking about what you want and how you go about achieving it. If you wish to understand yourself better, delve deeper into who you are and what makes you you, it is non-constructive to think about the people you could have been if things were different, and hypothetical scenarios often lead you nowhere. That potential to be something else is still within you, but to think about the past rather than thinking about what you can change now to better align with your true vision of yourself are two different things. With this in mind try to be present in the now.

Focusing on the present

They say that thinking about the past is anxiety ruled by what was or could have been, and thinking about the future is worrying about what will be - it is therefore wise to worry about what is now so that you may set your mind to change it. While we need to look back to the past to learn from it, and we need to look to the future to plan for it, we are only able to bring the two theoretically into praxis by being in the present. What you do now ensures you don't repeat what was and it takes you where you want to be. St Paisios the Athonite when questioned about problem-solving and thought-induced insomnia said>

"The basic problem with you is that you have too many thoughts - here, I will tell you one way to avoid too many thoughts. When something comes to your mind, for example: something you have to do tomorrow - tell your thought that task is not for today. I will think about it tomorrow. Similarily, when you need to make a decision about something, don't constantly torment yourself by constantly thinking about how to find what is best and constantly postponing the final decision. Choose something and move on, let God take care of the rest." 

In his answer lies a great answer to focusing on the present; not brooding about the future, but rather trusting it. By not lingering on decisions taking us nowhere, let us instead make them and continue on our path onwards. The best way to focus on what is right in front of you is to connect to it and to focus in again on it should you be distracted. As St Paisios say: "tell your thought that task is not for today". Whether you are in control of or just observing your thoughts is really irrelevant - in either case what remains true is that you can direct your focus to wherever you wish. That also means you can move it away from non-constructive thoughts.

Bringing daydreams to reality

So what are the benefits of this kind of daydreaming really? Well, it exercises your creative muscles, it helps develop your problem solving skills, it helps improve your focus and allows you to live a more fulfilling life. By allowing to let yourself get lost in constructive thoughts you are able to take control of your destiny and it allows to be a better version of yourself. This kind of engagement with your mind allows you to reflect and analyse in a healthy and productive way. When you engage in this way of viewing the world you are given tools to navigate and help you, rather than just wasting your time thinking about nothing. It's important in our day-to-day lives to engage with our chatty minds this way, when we constantly try to distract it we miss out on what it's trying to tell us. If you're a person who find your thoughts to constantly be negative, paranoid and unpleasant this is a good way to shift that negativity, it's a way to clean up your mind so that it becomes a nice place to be. After all, you can go to any place in the world and be surrounded by any kinds of people, but in the end you're always gonna be in your own head, might as well make it a place you want to be in.

Going about bringing this constructive way of thinking to your life can be a little tricky. It takes practice first off and it needs physical aid to be brought into reality. There are many ways people do this and we will just briefly discuss a few. Keeping a diary or journal of any kind is a good way to physically manifest your thoughts and to allow for introspection and reflection. Another important step is to actively engage in this kind of behaviour and consciously observe and shift your focus. If you find yourself thinking about tomorrow's task simply tell yourself "I will think about this tomorrow" and instead try to think of something you should and can do now. Engaging with philosophy, theology, psychology and other metaphysical literature and practices are a good way to connect body to mind as well. Keep your critical thinking with you and do not take for granted what these people tell you, but be open to it and explore it to your own liking. Meditation and prayer are both exercises people practice to help stay grounded and to be conscious of their thinking. Try different things and see what works for you.

As you engage with this type constructive daydreaming make sure to record or write down any epiphanies and ideas you might have. Human memory is one of the most unreliable things in this world, and if you're e.g working on a creative project or just thinking about solving a problem in your life, if you at one time find yourself thinking about a novel solution or a fun idea make sure you go out of your way to remember it. The greatest loss in human progression and thought must be the forgotten dreams and ideas. Even scribbling down hastily a few words on a note or your phone will go a long way to help you recall the thought you had.

Conclusion

When we are able to first distinguish between constructive and non-constructive thinking we can then proceed to engage deeper with creative and positive sides to our imagination. By grounding ourselves in reality and taking necessary steps to ensure our focus is maintained on worthwhile things that are right in front of us. By directing our focus to the present we maintain sight on what's important right now and we are not lost and misguided by things past and the future. With the right practice and tools in our belt we can manifest our dreams into physical reality and use them to aid us in our lives. Helping us improve and become the best version of ourselves. When we make sure to remember the ideas that appear to us, we ensure that it doesn't only help ourselves but the rest of the world as well.