The Value of Daydreaming
"Nothing happens unless first a dream ."
~ Carl Sandburg, 1878-1967, American poet and author
Children are often told to stop daydreaming. It is seen as reckless mind wandering, a sign of lack of focus, or worse: laziness, procrastination, and avoidance. Parents may feel at odds wanting to allow their children to be playful and relaxed, while trying to maintain a demanding schedule. I would rush my son to get dressed in the morning, and wait long enough to watch him pull a sock on one foot before I left his room to get myself ready. Fifteen minutes later, I’d return to see that same sock still halfway up that same foot, and my son staring out the window. What had he been doing? He had no idea!
My son was often lost in daydreaming, as if still half asleep. It's hard to be patient when we have so much to do, but I hated to interrupt these moments. Daydreaming is an essential skill, an important ingredient in our productivity. Several scientific studies cite the importance of daydreaming. When we daydream, we enter a deeply relaxed mental when the mind is allowed to wander. This may appear to be a period of inactivity, but actually our minds are deeply active. In order to solve a problem, or create a work of art, or plan a home or business, we must first get the idea, and that idea often comes from a deep unknown place within our own psyche. These ideas may surface in our dreams, or when we least expect them.
My best ideas occur just after waking or just before falling asleep, in meditation, or in the shower. They also come up when I am doing a rhythmic activity or chore, like taking a walk, swimming, or cleaning my house. When I don't have to stay intellectually focused, my mind can wander into the deep recesses of my memories and associations and come up with new ideas that can later be put into practice. In the act of daydreaming, my mind is free to play!
"Don't underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along,
listening to all the things you can't hear, and not bothering."
~A. A. Milne, 1882-1956, English author of Winnie-the-Pooh
It is not enough to dream and daydream. We also have to do! Ideas discovered in daydreams take shape later as we apply them in our lives.. As a writer and a teacher, I have problem-solved in a dream state many times! I keep a pad and pencil on my night stand, and often carry one to the bathroom or in my handbag, for those moments when I suddenly have a reverie. Write your ideas down! Just like dreams, daydreams are fleeting, so it’s wise to capture ideas when they happen. Writing them down helps us to remember, and stores our ideas for rediscovery. In time, the ideas will manifest in writing, art, projects, experiments, inventions, and solutions to daily problems. I often scribble ideas down just before falling asleep, or wake up in the morning and rush to write down something I thought of in my dreams.
What would we do without daydreaming? Not much! Don't just take my word for it. Check out these articles, scientific studies, and books. Try it yourself! When you have a problem to solve, take a break first, or, as they say, sleep on it!
Articles and Scientific Studies about Daydreaming
The Virtues of Daydreaming, by John Lehrer (science blog for the New Yorker, July 5, 2012)
Daydreaming is Good - Try Not to Think About It, by Robert Alison (July 9, 2012 Winnipeg Free Press)
Idle Minds and What They May Say About Intelligence, by Susan Whitfield-Gabrieli and John Gabrieli, Scientific American, Jan. 5, 2012
Sleep Inspires Insight, by Wagner, Gais, Haider, Verleger and Born, Department of Neuroendocrinology, University of Lübeck, Germany.
Books on Daydreaming for kids and adults
Dreams by Peter Spier, for ages 5 and up. Did you ever lie on the grass and look at the clouds to find images in the sky? This book without words will inspire you to do it again!
And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss, for ages 4-7. A favorite book of my childhood, describing the daydreaming fantasies of a child walking home.
Dreams by Ezra Jack Keats, for ages 3-7. The story starts with a paper mouse and a boy's imagination as he tries to fall asleep.
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson, classic story of imagination for ages 2-5.
Dream Big by Ian Falconer, for all ages. Motivational quotes about dreams and the power of imagination, illustrated from the popular series Olivia the Pig.
The Fantastic Bureau of Imagination by Brad Montague, for ages 5 and up.
Daydreams at Work: Wake Up Your Creative Powers by Amy Fries, for adults.
Amy Fries's blog in Psychology Today, free articles for adults.
Transformational Daydreaming: How to Talk with Your Subconscious Mind and Daydream Your Way to a Better Life by Timothy A. Storlie, for adults.
This post contains affiliate links.