A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind (2010) [pdf]

> In a paper pessimistically titled “A wandering mind is an unhappy mind,” Harvard psychologists Matthew Killingsworth and Daniel Gilbert reported that people felt less happy when their minds strayed from the task at hand, even when they were dwelling on pleasant topics—and even when the task itself was not enjoyable.

The Paper is a much better read than the OP => https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/images/application_uploads/...

Re: A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind (2010) [pdf]

#6

Post by rambtampandor » Tue, Apr 10, 2018, 1:02 AM UTC

As a person struggling with ADHD, the answer is yes. It will make you lose your god given shit at your incapacity of staying on any given task, ranging from the simplest -like defecation- to tasks requiring executive functioning.

Re: A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind (2010) [pdf]

#7

Post by Apocryphon » Tue, Apr 10, 2018, 1:05 AM UTC

When I'm very sleep-deprived, I tend to be better able to focus on the present, and not worry about ambient anxiety-causing topics. My mind has less resources to wander as much as usual. Between that anecdotal experience, and previous stories about sleep deprivation as a treatment for depression, I wonder if there's something to be set about forcing your mind into a single-threaded mode, to avoid the usual distracting worries.

Re: A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind (2010) [pdf]

#8

Post by Arbalest » Tue, Apr 10, 2018, 1:13 AM UTC

Apocryphon wrote: post #7

When I'm very sleep-deprived, I tend to be better able to focus on the present, and not worry about ambient anxiety-causing topics. My mind has less resources to wander as much as usual. Between that anecdotal experience, and previous stories about sleep deprivation as a treatment for depression, I wonder if there's something to be set about forcing your mind into a single-threaded mode, to avoid the usual distractin…

Makes me wonder if there's a methodology of using full energy for creativity, and lower energy for times when more discipline would usually be required. Of course then there is the discipline needed to not fall into distraction traps then.

I've experienced sleep deprived productivity before, but I have found it is hit and miss too.

Re: A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind (2010) [pdf]

#9

Post by whateveracct » Tue, Apr 10, 2018, 1:26 AM UTC

Apocryphon wrote: post #7

When I'm very sleep-deprived, I tend to be better able to focus on the present, and not worry about ambient anxiety-causing topics. My mind has less resources to wander as much as usual. Between that anecdotal experience, and previous stories about sleep deprivation as a treatment for depression, I wonder if there's something to be set about forcing your mind into a single-threaded mode, to avoid the usual distractin…

I think I saw something about sleep deprivation has been shown to temporarily greatly relieve symptoms of depression for a day to a week or so.

Chronic sleep deprivation has the opposite effect though, so it isn't the most practical.

Re: A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind (2010) [pdf]

#10

Post by ikeyany » Tue, Apr 10, 2018, 1:38 AM UTC

Sounds interesting. Perhaps I shall open it in another tab for later reading.