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How to Tame Your Wandering Mind and Actually Get Some Work Done
Researchers believe that when a task isn’t sufficiently rewarding, our brains search for something more interesting to think about
You have a big deadline looming, and it’s time to hunker down. But every time you start working, you find that, for some reason, your mind drifts off before you can get any real work done. What gives? What is this cruel trick our brains play on us, and what do we do about it?
Thankfully, by understanding why our mind wanders and taking steps to deal with distraction, we can stay on track. But first, let’s understand the root of the problem.
Why do our minds wander?
Unintentional mind wandering occurs when our thoughts are not tied to the task at hand. Researchers believe our minds wander when the thing we’re supposed to be doing is not sufficiently rewarding, so our brains look for something more interesting to think about.
We’ve all experienced it from time to time, but it’s important to note that some people struggle with chronic mind-wandering: Though studies estimate ADHD afflicts less than 3 percent of the global adult population, it can be a serious problem and may require medical intervention.
