Why You Should Become a Dedicated Daydreamer
Welcome to the next installment in a yummy series I’m calling “The Bohemian Way”. Today is about a little-known power source tapped by the likes of Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein. Ready to live a little differently and join their club?
Looking around, you and I might both notice two things. First, mediation has gone mainstream. Some of the least woo-woo people in the world are now dedicated to meditation. Take the CEO of Ford Motors, Bill Ford, as an example.
Second, burnout has shifted from an experience reserved for 40 year old executives to a plague impacting teenagers. Back in 1982 Larry Dossey, an American doctor, coined the term “time-sickness” to describe the overwhelming feeling that “time is getting away,” that there isn’t enough of it, and that the only way to survive is to grind harder. It seems like the ever-present Apple Watches, desks with triple monitors and hyper-scheduled highschool existence is feeding “time-sickness”.
So we can likely agree that the need for meditative-like practices is clearer than ever before. But I don’t want to talk about mediation.
“These days the whole work is time-sick. We all belong to the same cult of speed.
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I’m more interested in the untapped power of daydreaming. Few people realize to what extend daydreaming is a zone of genius worth floating into daily. I was unaware myself until a few months ago when I entered a glorious research rabbit hole. And you know how I love to share anything juicy and creativity-inducing with you. So whether you’re deep in the rat-race or a fully recovered, ex-member of the cult of speed, I hope you find this interesting!
The fact is, the greatest most creative thinkers knew the value of shifting into low gear. We seem to have forgotten the reflex to slow down when life hits break-neck speed.
Real and imagined examples of daydream aficionados include Sherlock Holmes’ meandering in his mind palace, Albert Einstein who could often be found at his desk staring off into space, and Charles Darwin - a notorious daydreamer much to his wife and ten children’s chagrin.
What’s the “Why” Behind Why You Should Become a Dedicated Daydreamer?
Simply put, setting aside time in your routine for daydreaming will make you more intelligent. You’ll become a smarter, more creative thinker, a better problem solver and all-around more original human.
Imagine the ripple effects 15 minutes of daily daydreams could have on your work, with the way you play, and your ability to connect variant ideas into a coherent, exciting new way.
Research shows just to what extent you become more intelligent when you allow your brainwaves to slow down. Don’t believe me? Read “Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind – Why Intelligence Increases When You Think Less” by Guy Claxton. The science behind daydreaming is now established - it’s time to go Alpha.
Photos shot in Haiti by Charlotte Drimmie, edited with Amanacer Lightroom Presets
Let’s talk about brainwaves and the science behind daydreaming
BETA brainwaves are fast thinking = rational, analytical, linear and logical.
This mental mode delivers clear solutions to well defined problems. It’s the office mindset you may know so well, and find yourself slipping into first thing in the morning straight away.
Put simply, fast waves are BETA brain waves.
ALPHA AND THETA brainwaves are slow thinking = intuitive, fuzzy, rich and creative.
It is what we do when the pressure is off and we have time to let ideas simmer at their own pace. This mind mode often results in multi-layered and subtle insights.
It’s the place you go when you stare at a sunset, deeply appreciating the spread of glorious colors and realizing with sudden clarity that all you have to do to fix ______ is just _______.
Are you convinced? Will you follow the wave of CEOs and Silicon Valley execs now scheduling dedicated daydreaming time? Don’t be deterred by the trend-setters, dear one. I sure hope you find yourself saying “Sorry I can’t make it, I have a sublime daydream session coming up at 3p.m.!
Here’s to your sweet reveries and watching the clouds roll by.
