The Science of Mind Wandering: Empirically Navigating the Stream of Consciousness
task. Mind wandering is valuable because it allows people to disengage from their bad ideas—the ideas that entrenched them in the first place—freeing them to consider new, possibly subtler ideas.
Adam Alter • Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When It Matters Most
During demanding tasks, the central executive kicks in. The more the mind-wandering network is suppressed, the greater the accuracy of performance on the task at hand.
Daniel Levitin • The Organized Mind
baseline, “resting” state—but don’t let the word fool you, because the brain isn’t at rest at all. Instead, it experiences tonic activity in what’s now known as the DMN, the default mode network: the posterior cingulate cortex, the adjacent precuneus, and the medial prefrontal cortex. This baseline activation suggests that the brain is constantly g
... See moreMaria Konnikova • Mastermind
This sequence is so important it’s worth committing to memory—the untrained mind produces distractions that lead to forgetting, which results in mind-wandering
Jeremy Graves • The Mind Illuminated: A Complete Meditation Guide Integrating Buddhist Wisdom and Brain Science for Greater Mindfulness
“stimulus-independent thought” or “mind wandering” appears to be the brain’s default mode of operation.
Jon Kabat-Zinn • Full Catastrophe Living, Revised Edition: How to cope with stress, pain and illness using mindfulness meditation
Recent research discovered a startling facet of life—brief periods during which consciousness is absent while the body carries on its well-rehearsed duties: driving, doing the dishes, or reading a long and uninspiring office memo. To an observer, everything looks normal while the subject is, in fact, zoned out. During these episodes of mind blankin
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