Are you one of those people who are easily distracted? Can’t help but wander and daydream in the middle of a task? Do you find it difficult to focus on a single activity and change your occupation at all times, without completing what you started? If you answered yes, you are probably smarter than average.
A study by the Georgia Institute of Technology concludes that daydreaming is a sign of intelligence and creativity.
“People with highly effective brains presumably have too much mental capacity to prevent their minds from wandering,” in the words of one study co-author, Dr. Enric Schumacher.
Schumacher and his team measured the brain patterns of more than a hundred people, while each of them had to focus on a specific point for a full five minutes. Thanks to the data extracted, the team was able to identify which parts of the brain work in unison.
The correlation between the different brain regions gave the researchers clues as to which areas of the brain work together in the states of awakening and relaxation. Amazingly, the researchers observed how the same brain areas measured while wandering were the ones that were related to different cognitive abilities.
After the researchers interpreted how the brain works during periods of wandering, the team conducted a test that measured the intellectual and creative abilities of the participants. They also filled out a questionnaire on how much they ‘wandered’ and wandered during the day.
The results were clear: those who reported frequent ramblings during the day had higher levels of creativity, as well as a more efficient cognitive structure than the rest.
“People tend to believe that wandering and wandering during the day is a negative characteristic. Instead, our data is consistent – this is not always true. These people have more efficient brains “, explains the researcher.
Schumacher identifies a high cognitive capacity with the need to wander, which is more necessary than if the brain continuously performed simple tasks.
How to identify if your brain is highly efficient?
One clue is that you can easily focus and de-focus on several tasks and conversations at the same time , as you need at all times, without losing track of the task you were doing.
“We have an example in bright children in class. When their ability exceeds what was explained in class, they learn the new concept in a few minutes, and then they dedicate themselves to daydreaming . Meanwhile, their classmates will need more time to acquire the concept,” he explains Dr. Schumacher.
The results of the study will open the door to new research, to determine when mental distractions are harmful and in which cases they are the opposite.
