Do you find yourself spacing out a lot during the day? Escaping to your little mind palace? Then you are not alone. Spacing out is a common attribute for everyone from the stressed out to deep, philosophical thinkers. If you are someone who has dealt with the consequences of spacing out – missing an important phone call, a key message, or even not picking up a vital piece of information – then you will know the pros and cons of spacing out. Most of us, though, see it as a negative. Is it, though?
Being able to simply space out and enter your train of thought can be quite a cathartic experience for many of us. You can think that spacing out happens when you do anything from trying to watch a boring TV show to listen to some instrumental music. It could even be things like going for a shower, making a cup of coffee, or anything that you can do without having to give it much critical thought whatsoever.
For many people, these little mental breaks can be a good way to compartmentalize their thinking. If you spend a lot of your time drifting off into the ether of your mind, you could be helping yourself out more than you think.
Why is spacing out not the problem people think it is?
You might think that drifting off and ignoring all around you can only be a negative trait. However, as we drift off, we allow the mind to take control. According to MRI studies, we find that when someone goes for a ‘wakeful rest’ – spacing out – they can get their brain to enter into a period of heightened creativity. You can pick out memories and ideas that you would have long forgotten. You can rearrange your thoughts and work out where you might be going wrong.
Wakeful resting has become a buzzword within the self-care industry, and for many, it is a highly effective way to start realigning their thoughts. If you feel like you cannot get a grip on your day and your schedule, then spacing out can be very useful indeed to help you reset from a physical and mental perspective.
You can find that you can enter a spaced-out state when you simply take yourself out of the normal routine that you carry. Put your phone into Do Not Disturb mode, and if the weather allows go and sit outside while you let this happen. Let yourself simply drift off into a train of thought, and by the time you come around you might find yourself in a much better place physically and mentally.