What Is Mind-Wandering and How You Use It to Your Advantage?

Interesting article. Ironically, while reading it I started to think about how I didn't have this problem when I was younger. I could hyperfocus on a book or video game for 12 hours straight, while today I can barely read a chapter without thinking about what I have to do the next day. Makes me wonder if it's a fact of age, bad memory, the depression I went through at the time or just fewer responsibilities.

I’m working on a tool called Amna - and it can help with this. For example, I always have too many tabs open, or sometimes I forget why I opened a new tab. Amna pins the current task you’re working on up top, and saves your browsing session by task, so even if I wander it can all come back.<p>Feedback appreciated: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.getamna.com&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.getamna.com&#x2F;</a>

This reminded me of PG&#x27;s essay on the top idea in your mind: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.paulgraham.com&#x2F;top.html" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.paulgraham.com&#x2F;top.html</a>

I have a particularly difficult time with mind wandering. My kids and wife complain often that my mind wanders too much and I don’t pay attention to the conversation. Has anyone had this issue and solved the problem. In my mind wandering, I usually am the protagonist of some story. It has become problematic to the point where it has become a problem and is affecting my life - can’t get anything done.

My ADHD mind-wandered away from this article.<p>I often wonder what the lives of people without ADHD are like. What is <i>not</i> mind wandering?

Perhaps relevant:<p>A Suggestion for a New Interpretation of Dreams: Dreaming Is the Inverse of Anxious Mind-Wandering.<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;psyarxiv.com&#x2F;k6trz" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;psyarxiv.com&#x2F;k6trz</a><p>HN discussion: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=19143590" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.ycombinator.com&#x2F;item?id=19143590</a><p>[I am the author]

Relevant Thomas Metzinger talk: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;youtu.be&#x2F;9UPuhr35rUg?t=30m38s" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;youtu.be&#x2F;9UPuhr35rUg?t=30m38s</a>

Ironically, while reading it I started to think about other things and fit distracted

I mean it is an interesting article and all, but I miss the scientific evidence? It is a lot of statements that are clearly derived from the author‘s experience, but can they be applied to everyone?

I&#x27;ve been into mindfulness and meditation for quite a few years, and this article is squarely in that arena. However, something that bothers me about this article is its emphasis on work-related productivity as the primary goal of mindfulness and focus. Cultivating this kind of brain change is a big undertaking, and I find it demotivating to think that the main beneficiary should be the capitalist goal of increased productivity in a workplace setting.<p>Think bigger! I prefer to think that the primary goal of increased focus&#x2F;mindfulness is increased happiness, joy, and life satisfaction. Any work-related productivity increase is a convenient side-effect. Work will come and go, but you have to live with your brain every day for the rest of your life. Imagine what it would be like to be able to happily focus on spending time with your child, or reading a good book, and really be present in that moment.