Your boss may not want you to read this particular posting! I’m about to give you a reason that validates your office hours daydreaming!

Important research is going on about how our brains create insight. You know, those times when the penny drops, you have an a-ha moment or that elusive solution to a problem hits you between the eyes.

You’ve probably heard that getting away from a challenge for a short period of time is helpful if you’re stuck, and that is absolutely correct. Going off in another direction for a while can give your brain a break from the problem.

But psychologists and neuroscientists are finding that napping works even better for finding solutions. You see, sleeping allows for information to be sorted and consolidated and this can help to get the creative juices flowing again.

It’s unlikely your boss would take kindly to your plonking your head on a pillow every afternoon, so the next best strategy is to daydream which, when done well, is akin to sleeping anyway.

Action – Next time you’re stuck, set an alarm for 15 minutes and purposefully plant a random thought into your brain. Allow your thoughts to wander anywhere they want to go. Follow, do not lead, your brain as it roams around. If an image wants to flip upside down, let it. Or if you find yourself feeling sand between your toes, all the better! Just go with it.

When the alarm sounds, take a few deep breaths, then re-engage with your original challenge.

At the very least, you will feel lighter and calmer. And you may very well find the solution in your very next thought!

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