Be honest: When was the last time you stood in line or sat at home without reaching for your phone? Those little pockets of downtime have become automatic scrolling opportunities for many of us. A few quiet minutes can quickly turn into checking social media, answering a text or watching “just one” video.
Before smartphones, those boring little moments were simply part of the day. You might have stared out the window, watched people around you or started to daydream. So when did we stop letting our minds wander? And what happens when we fill nearly every spare second with something to look at, read or listen to? Could those quiet moments have benefits we’re overlooking?
To better understand what happens when we give our minds room to amble around, Parade spoke with two neuropsychologists about the science of boredom, daydreaming and unstructured time—and whether stepping away from our screens can give our minds a chance to do something more than simply “consume.”
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The Lost Art of Idleness: Why We Stopped Letting Our Minds Wander
Think about all the tiny moments when you have nothing to do, like when you have to sit at the DMV or wait for a friend to meet you for dinner. Did you simply sit there—or did you reach for your phone?
Nowadays, for many people, the easiest way to fill that time is to be on your phone. After all, a quick glance at your screen can turn a few quiet minutes into what seems like scrolling away your boredom. However, there was a time when waiting meant, well, waiting. But according to Dr. Janina Kamm, a clinical neuropsychologist, our phones haven’t necessarily gotten rid of that boredom. They may simply be influencing how comfortable we are with it.
“Phone-checking has not eliminated boredom, but it may be making us worse at tolerating it,” she says.
In that sense, idleness hasn’t disappeared so much as our relationship with it has changed. Instead of allowing an empty moment to remain empty, we’re increasingly accustomed to filling it with information, entertainment or social media.
That’s important because boredom isn’t just an empty feeling to get rid of. It can be a signal that encourages us to change what we’re doing or look for something more meaningful. As Dr. Kamm explains, “Boredom is linked with problematic smartphone use, increased internet use and increased short-form video use.”
And when every silent moment can be filled instantly, we may get fewer opportunities to practice simply sitting with our thoughts.
“It is certainly possible that removing opportunities to practice sitting with our boredom is training us to tolerate less and less of it in our daily lives,” she states.
In other words, she says the problem may not be that we’re bored too often. It may be that we’re rarely bored long enough to see where our minds might take us. That doesn’t mean you need to ditch your phone or deliberately seek out boredom. But the next time you’re standing in line or waiting for your coffee, try leaving your phone in your pocket for a few minutes. You might be surprised by what happens when you give your mind a little room to wander.
After all, we are all constantly filling our downtime with something, but what happens if we don’t? Neuropsychologists say those quiet moments may give our brains something they don’t get nearly as often as they used to: room to wander.
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The Neuroscience of Daydreaming: Does the Brain Benefit From Unstructured Time?
When you have nothing pressing to do and start to daydream, your brain isn’t necessarily taking a break. In fact, those unstructured moments may give the brain an opportunity to process experiences, make connections and explore ideas. Those quiet periods may give it a chance to turn inward, wander and reflect. One part of the brain that becomes relevant during these moments is the default mode network (DMN), a collection of brain regions “within the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes” involved in our internal thoughts and experiences, Dr. Kamm reveals.
“These regions are less active when our attention shifts away from internal processes like daydreaming or revisiting a personal memory to externally focused tasks like reading an email, making a decision or solving a math problem,” she explains.
She says that research into the DMN has linked its activity with “reflecting on our thoughts and feelings, processing our emotions, daydreaming and mind wandering.” That helps explain why unstructured time may be more mentally active than it appears.
And those internal processes may have practical benefits, too. Clinical neuropsychologist Dr. Alvin McLean, Jr., PhD, says mind-wandering can play a role in several aspects of how we think and process our experiences.
“Mind wandering plays a role in creative insight, problem solving, memory consolidation, self-reflection and identity formation,” he notes.
He also describes constructive daydreaming as a way to explore ideas, possibilities and future scenarios.
“Constructive daydreaming is an active mental process in which your mind explores ideas, possibilities, memories and future scenarios in a flexible way,” he shares. “It often helps with creativity, problem-solving, emotional processing and understanding yourself. Typically, one experiences some growth from the process, even if it wasn’t intentional. Often, the process will leave you feeling more inspired, clear, curious and perhaps even motivated.”
He reveals that constructive daydreaming can even “help you make plans, explore how different ideas are connected or even rehearse solutions.”
In other words, letting your thoughts drift doesn’t necessarily mean your mind has stopped working. You might mentally rehearse a conversation, imagine a future goal or stumble upon a solution to a problem you’ve been trying to solve.
Next time you find yourself staring out the window, taking a quiet walk or waiting in line without reaching for your phone, you don’t necessarily need to fill the silence. Giving your brain a little space to wander may give your thoughts room to connect, reflect and surprise you. But not every quiet moment is necessarily productive. So how can you tell the difference between letting your mind wander and simply zoning out on your phone?
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Mind Wandering vs. Mindless Scrolling: Knowing the Difference
Not all time spent staring into space is the same—and neither is all time spent on your phone. Dr. Kamm distinguishes constructive daydreaming from both rumination and passive digital consumption.
“Constructive daydreaming is forward-looking, flexible thought that involves exploring possibilities and connecting ideas,” she explains. “Psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman links this ‘positive-constructive daydreaming’ to openness to experience, creativity and psychological well-being.”
Rumination, on the other hand, keeps you stuck on the same problem or fear without making progress. And passive scrolling works differently from both. As Dr. McLean explains, this “occurs when attention is primarily directed outward toward a stream of content that requires little reflection or intentional engagement.”
“The content on your phone or other device is consumed automatically rather than deliberately,” he adds. “You may even feel compelled to continue scrolling, watching or clicking.”
The key difference isn’t simply whether you’re looking at a screen or staring into space. It’s what your attention is doing. Constructive daydreaming gives your own thoughts room to explore, while passive scrolling continually supplies your brain with something new to consume.
Mind wandering doesn’t necessarily require being completely disconnected from the outside world. Dr. Kamm says that what matters is whether your attention has shifted toward internally generated thoughts rather than immediately being pulled back to the next piece of content. A few small changes to your everyday routine can create more opportunities for your thoughts to take the lead.
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How To Reclaim Micro-Moments of Boredom for Better Mental Health and Creativity
According to our experts, there are some actionable, low-friction habits that can help you bring mind wandering back into your days.
Create a 2-minute pause before switching tasks
When you finish one task, Dr. McLean recommends waiting two minutes before starting the next.
“Close your laptop, lean back, look out a window or simply sit quietly,” he reveals. “Those brief gaps can give thoughts, memories and ideas a chance to surface naturally instead of immediately moving on to the next task.”
Try to pinpoint when you’re starting to get bored
“Practice noticing when you are bored,” Dr. Kamm suggests. “That way, the next time you notice you’re bored, you can pause before solving your boredom with a phone and see what other solutions you’re able to develop.”
Let one daily chore be screen-free
Dr. McLean also suggests letting one routine activity each day happen without media.
“Try folding laundry, washing dishes, gardening, cooking without a screen,” he says. “Repetitive activities naturally encourage mind wandering because your attention is lightly occupied rather than fully engaged.”
Have a quiet moment
“Tasks to help you connect with your internal processes might include sitting quietly and noticing where your thoughts go,” Dr. Kamm notes. “This is a component of open awareness mindfulness, which can help build distress tolerance and even improve your attention.”
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Sources:
Dr. Janina Kamm, PsyD, is an Assistant Professor and clinical neuropsychologist at The Chicago School. Dr. Alvin McLean, Jr., PhD, is a clinical neuropsychologist and the Dean of the JFK School of Psychology and Social Sciences.Hence then, the article about when did we stop letting our minds wander neuropsychologists think it s more important than ever was published today ( ) and is available on Parade ( Saudi Arabia ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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