Mind wandering and how we can think more about the present moment
Mind wandering is the term that defines thinking or worrying about other stuff while we are doing something.
Our minds wander 46,9 % of the time.
Mind wandering takes a lot of our time and so it is very natural for us to not think about it. We just do it spontaneously without even realizing it.
We think about the past and the future and most of the time what we do is to worry. We worry about the upcoming test while we are studying, we worry about what will happen, we worry about our possible failures, and so on.
Most of us live without actually living. It’s like that our past and our future have become our new present. We think about them all the time while we should think about the present itself.
Your future will be the result of the choices that you do today. Also our thoughts shape our vision and perception of tomorrow.
Also, most of the times, when we worry, we worry about the negative things that can happen and not about the positive ones. We even end up believing that something will happen and eventually it really happens. This can be described as the self-fulfilling prophecy: When you believe something will happen, good or bad, it’ll be more likely to happen.
So we can say that mind wandering is not good for us. It makes us unhappy and more anxious about future outcomes.
You’re now probably saying: Ok, I got it, but how can I actually live more in the present and not wonder about other stuff?
Firsly you can’t not do it. It’s impossible for us to think only about the present. There will be always times when your mind wonders. What we can do is to wonder less and to live more in the present. How can we do it?
The answer is simple but at the same time difficult to apply: Paying attention. It’s all you have to do.
If you pay attention to the things you are doing and to your present you’ll be more likely to think less about the past and the future.
Let’s say you’re having dinner. While you eat you wonder about tomorrow, the things that you are gonna do next etc. etc. That’s normal and you can’t completely stop these thoughts. What you can do is to not focus too much on them, instead think about your actual dinner. So think about the acts of eating, drinking. Enjoy them and be grateful for them.
Planning the day with tasks and goals to achieve can also help because you know exactly what you want and have to do without feeling overwhelmed. In this way you also know when is the time to work and the time to rest. You can also use the pomodoro technique ( 25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of break) to focus on a specific task. In the 25 minutes of work you only think about the task, and then in the 5 minutes you think about something else.
Whatever you are doing something and thoughts come to mind just acknowledge them without judgement. Then, go ahead with what you’re doing
For example let’s say you are studying and all of a sudden you feel anxious about the upcoming test. What you have to do is to acknowledge the presence of that thought and to not let it overwhelm you. Maybe you can write it down on a piece of paper to feel the presence of the thought. After that, you move on with studying. If other thoughts come to mind know their presence and let them go away without judgment.
Of course, this process improve with practice. Don’t pretend to be in the present moment immediately. It’s a process that comes with time and practice. So be patient.
Meditation is a practice that can aslo help you out. Meditation is the simple act of thinking about one thing ( it can be breathing, bodily sensations, sounds etc.) for some minutes. Thoughts that interrupt meditation are considered part of the process, you always have to acknowledge them without judgement, letting them go away.
These tips can help you to live more in the present and to enjoy it more. Also remember to be grateful for the things you have and to enjoy them as much as you can.
Bill Keane used to say: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it present”
Source of information about mind wandering : https://www.coursera.org/learn/the-science-of-well-being?skipBrowseRedirect=true
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