Is Daydreaming a Good Thing? 3 Ways Daydreaming Helps Adults Reach Goals

It's no secret that I love daydreaming. When I was a kid, I spent a lot of my time reading (which I tend to think is the scholarly equivalent of daydreaming) and as I grew older, I learned that daydreaming helped me in a variety of ways I hadn't thought about before.

You probably already know that some people see daydreaming as a distraction from the real goal of focus (and it can be!) but I want to talk to you about the good that can come from spending some part of your day "lost in thought."

Is day dreaming a good thing? It can be!
(Source CC BY)

I'm sure you already know the reasons that some people think daydreaming is a bad thing, and I'm sure that you know the main reason is because it can be a distraction from tasks to be completed. You're not here to read about that, though, so let's talk about what really matters: How is daydreaming a good thing?

3 Ways Daydreaming Helps Adults Reach Goals

1. It helps you figure out what you really want. We give our attention to the things that mean the most to us. The thoughts that appear to you the most in your waking dreams are likely to be the things you want most in your life. For example, I often find my mind wandering to horses and horseback riding. Horses held a prominent place in my childhood, and they are one of the things I'd like to see more of in my future. I don't need my daydreams to demonstrate their significance to me, but I can look at the surrounding factors and consider what I need to do to make them part of my life again (for example, I need to lose weight and obtain a steady income in order to support a horse or horses). I advise writing down the subjects of your most repetitive daydreams. They are likely to be the things you want the most out of life!
2. It helps to generate ideas. I've spent a lot of my life (too much, if you ask me) writing cooperative stories (in the form of literate role play). Most of my best ideas for characters, stories, or settings came through the process of daydreaming. When I'm looking for ideas for a blog post, I allow my mind to wander and generate ideas. This is a different form of daydreaming. Sometimes I use mind maps* to help with this process and sometimes I prefer free-writing. In this case I find that sometimes it takes becoming unfocused to drive my focus in the direction I want it to go. These methods encourage the free-flow of ideas. I encourage you to try them!
3. It helps you to relax. I imagine that everyone has some stress in their lives. Even the most balanced individuals struggle with stress from time to time. Daydreaming is an opportunity to take a break from the stress of the real world. It provides a backdrop of fantasy for even the busiest of lives, and it can help to alleviate pressure in only a few minutes. This is a tool that I use often, as an introvert, when a social situation becomes too stressful for me. It's easy enough to close my eyes and visualize myself somewhere else (for example, on horseback, or in a beautiful holiday home). Those who read, write, or play video games often live vicariously through the characters in their stories. Day dreaming is no different, and can be healthy!

Daydreaming can help adults reach goals in three ways.
(Source CC BY-SA)

I enjoy daydreaming so much that I've incorporated it into part of my spiritual rituals. As part of every morning, I write in a journal. As part of this writing, I allow my mind to wander and I write down the ideas that come to mind. Because I use a Leuchtturm, I can index those ideas for later or put them into practice immediately.

This allows me to determine my goals, set my intentions, and to act creatively. When my mind wanders, it opens up a world of imagination. Nothing is better for me, as a writer, than sinking into a daydream which allows me to create stories or generate ideas that I can put into practice on my blog.

Are you a daydreamer? How does dreaming help you to accomplish your goals? Or does it hinder you?

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