Research has revealed that our brains are inherently noisy. A number of brain regions connected in what’s dubbed the Default Mode Network (DMN) are always grinding away, engaged in a number of different involuntary activities that neuroscientists collectively call mindwandering: from daydreaming and self-chatter to ruminating about the past and worrying about the future. Not only does all of this inner commotion tug our attention away from the present moment, but it can dampen the quality of our experience, lowering our mood and potentially contributing to anxiety and depression. Yet, there’s method to this apparent madness.
Mindwandering is our brain's way of developing our sense of self, trying to sort out what others are thinking, and searching for associations to help us interpret what's happening in our lives. We can become aware of where our minds wander, directing them to stimulate creativity, increase focus and boost our mood. Or, we can become so engaged in thoughts of the past and future that we disconnect from the present. We want, in short, to work toward being able to bring the right mind to the right time.
Mindwandering is the first book to expose readers to the multi-faceted phenomenon of their wandering minds, the new and exciting research of the brain and the mind behind this default mode of ours and how we can gain some control over our mental lives. In doing so, it illustrates the rare and marvellous convergence of advanced neuroscience with ancient wisdom; cognitive psychology with creativity and mood; and the brain’s default state linked to the quality of our daily experience.
