我们的大脑是在其最具创新性的当他们休息的时候，那么为什么不把安静思考的时间？

上个月，美国国土安全部和英国运输部发布新的禁令。从北非和中东地区，可以不再进行电子大于航班上的一款智能手机的某些地区飞行的乘客。

约旦皇家航空公司厚脸皮回应提供旅客"12 要做的事情上 12 个小时的飞行，没有平板电脑或笔记本电脑。11 号是"分析生命的意义"。

这些日子，闲暇时刻都充满着使用我们的智能手机和其他设备

还有什么关于这个建议本身就有趣。它是有趣的因为长途飞行，而不是通过一个屏幕正在受理的安静思考的思想是，在今天的世界，荒谬。

人类有千百年来，在做白日梦，然而，这些日子，闲暇时刻都充满着使用我们的智能手机和其他设备 — — 滚动通过社交媒体，听听播客，响应电子邮件 — — 离开我们小的时候，让我们的思维。这可能看起来小小的改变，但是对我们大脑的工作方式和我们集体的创造力，其影响可能是深远的。事实上，它可以阻碍你的能力来与新鲜、 创新的想法。

灯泡的时刻

在 2012 年，研究人员发现，让你的头脑漂移可以导致更好地发挥创意解决问题。做白日梦与创造力之间的传闻联系比比皆是。从爱因斯坦诺贝尔奖得主、 化学家的发明者的后它注意到，很多世界上伟大的思想家有拥护使你的头脑休息的好处。也许你也注意到，你最好的点子在洗澡的时候或一会儿出去散步。

做白日梦是精神的如何我们访问我们的大图片状态

当你的头脑能够漫步时，它能访问记忆、 情绪和存储知识的随机位说艾米薯条，上班的白日梦作者︰ 唤醒了你的创造力和作家和编辑为今日心理学。

炸薯条说:"做白日梦的是我们如何访问我们大图片的精神状态，"。"当你在做白日梦的心境时，你可以想象或模拟您自己的版本的事件。

这个可视化可以帮助我们获得一个新的视角，对一个问题或链接两个以前脱节的想法来与原来的想法。

根据尼尔森的数据，美国人花费 10.5 小时一天的媒体消费。英国居民是紧随其后在将近 10 个小时一天，根据 emarketer 公司。(信用︰ 盖蒂图片社)

"我最有创意的时刻来当我的大脑得以休息，"梅金，建筑与工程公司 exp 环球公司的设计师说︰作为一个设计师，国王预计拿出新的、 令人信服的想法所有的时间。国王说，"有时我会花一整天都在一个项目上工作，我会觉得我从来没有完全创建很高兴用的东西"。"我会得到一个好的睡眠和 [第二天]，在更具创新性的 15 分钟做一件事情。

但是"我沉迷于我的智能手机，"她说。

她并不孤单。根据尼尔森，美国人花费 10.5 小时一天的媒体消费。英国居民是紧随其后在将近 10 个小时一天，根据emarketer 公司。此扩展的屏幕时间已使我们有些人不舒服的独自坐着我们自己的思想。科学家进行一项研究他们给人们选择独自坐着没有分心，为期 6-15 分钟，或者持久温和的电击。许多人选择了休克。

不同的国家

当你的眼睛在你的手机上，你的头脑是在非常不同的状态时，它做白日梦。

多年的研究，研究者们发现我们的大脑有两个单独的注意系统说，弗吉尼亚大学的心理学教授丹尼尔 · 威林厄姆 — — 一种外部和内部的一个。内源性注意系统，激活期间做白日梦，称为默认网络。

当你的眼睛在你的手机上，你的头脑是在非常不同的状态时，它做白日梦。(信用︰ 盖蒂图片社)

"默认网络是特别积极的当你思考你自己，思考过去，思考未来，"威林厄姆说。"你真的不能两个 [注意系统] 活跃在同一时间，但是他们在某些方面联系在一起"。

如果这两个系统在同一时间不能主动和我们在一个注意系统花了一天 10 小时，它引出了一个问题︰ 什么是对我们的大脑做 — — 和我们的能力来与创造性的想法？

"这不是我们正在进行对自己小的干预行动。在许多情况下这是大量的时间，"威林厄姆说，"特别是对于"十几岁的孩子。

从心理角度来看，我们更担心这会对我们做什么，当然很多年

"从心理学的角度来看，我们更关心这会对我们做什么，当然许多年来，"他说。后果，在目前情况下，完全不得而知，但所有盯着看，一个关注系统中的这个时间这款手机很可能具有长期的影响。

数字的排毒

好消息是，一些人已经自我调节他们过度使用。王最近去 Facebook 后意识到她花太多时间在网站上在她中间的时刻。

"我一直在开发自我意识最近关于我过度使用，"她说。"我一直在试图遏制它，但很难"。

有些人已经开始自我调节时，其互联网和屏幕的用法，调度的时间技术排毒法 (信用︰ Alamy)

威林厄姆，曾经听播客或磁带上的书而他走的锻炼，已经开始把他的设备留在家里。他是沉默的快乐。和炸薯条有意识地限制了她电话和电视的时间，如果她能甚至会走得更远。

"其实我得去网格为一年左右的幻想，"她说。

除此之外，薯条建议开始与自我意识。注意到当你看看你的手机和它如何使你的感觉。如果你把钱出的创造力，去散步或做其它一些不需要集中的注意力的活动。最重要的是，给自己的时间和权限做白日梦，这尤其是在我们的文化中忙碌，说易行难。

接受你自己的白日梦状态几乎是思想的革命性的

炸薯条说:"我认为它是个人可以拥有的东西，"。"接受你自己的白日梦状态几乎是思想的革命性的"。

公司也将受益于给予其雇员的空间，让他们的头脑徘徊，她说，让他们想出更好、 更创新的理念。

"在任何地区任何领导人，我可以向你保证他们是一个大的空想家，"炸薯条说。

除了去 Facebook，国王已经停止了她的电话或会议在可能的情况下，计算机和它帮助她更好的访问和更多的独特想法，她说。再加上，她给自己行使，睡好，中午休息的时间 — — 像标题到附近的公园里的只是一些纸和一支铅笔。

国王说:"这是我最终的理想去一些创造力，"。"我觉得时间只是停止当你坐在那里。

Last month, both the US Department of Homeland Security and the UK Department of Transport issued a new ban. Passengers flying from certain areas of North Africa and the Middle East can no longer carry electronics larger than a smartphone on flights.

Royal Jordanian airlines cheekily responded by offering travellers “12 things to do on a 12-hour flight with no tablet or laptop.” Number 11 was “analyse the meaning of life.”

These days, spare moments are filled with using our smartphones and other devices

There’s nothing inherently funny about this suggestion. It’s amusing because the thought of quiet contemplation on a long flight rather than being entertained via a screen is, in today’s world, ridiculous.

Humans have daydreamed for thousands of years, and yet, these days, spare moments are filled with using our smartphones and other devices—scrolling through social media, listening to podcasts, responding to emails—leaving us little time to let our minds wander. This may seem a small change, but its effect, on the way our minds work and on our collective creativity, could be far-reaching. In fact, it could be hindering your ability to come up with fresh, innovative ideas.

Lightbulb moments

In 2012, researchers found that letting your mind wander can lead to better creative problem solving. And anecdotal links between daydreaming and creativity abound. From Einstein to Nobel Prize-winning chemists to the inventor of the Post-it note, many of the world’s great thinkers have espoused the benefits of giving your mind a rest. And perhaps you too have noticed that your best ideas come in the shower or while out for a walk.

Daydreaming is how we access our big-picture state of mind

When your mind is able to wander, it is accessing memories, emotions and random bits of stored knowledge, says Amy Fries, author of Daydreams at Work: Wake Up Your Creative Powers and a writer and editor for Psychology Today.

“Daydreaming is how we access our big-picture state of mind,” Fries says. “When you’re in a daydreaming state of mind, you can visualise or simulate your own version of events."

This visualisation can help us gain a new perspective on a problem or link two previously disjointed thoughts to come up with an original idea.

According to Nielsen, Americans spend 10.5 hours a day consuming media. And UK residents are close behind at almost 10 hours a day, according to eMarketer. (Credit: Getty Images)

“My most creative moments come when my brain is allowed to rest,” says Megan King, a graphic designer for the architecture and engineering firm exp Global Inc. As a designer, King is expected to come up with new, compelling ideas all the time. “Sometimes I’ll spend all day working on a project and I’ll feel that I never quite created something that I’m really happy with,” King says. “I’ll get a good night’s sleep and [the next day], get something done in 15 minutes that is more innovative.”

But “I’m addicted to my smartphone,” she says.

She’s not alone. According to Nielsen, Americans spend 10.5 hours a day consuming media. And UK residents are close behind at almost 10 hours a day, according to eMarketer. This extended screen time has made some of us uncomfortable sitting alone with our own thoughts. Scientists conducted a study in which they gave people the option of either sitting alone with no distractions for a period of 6–15 minutes or enduring a mild electric shock. Many people chose the shock.

Different states

When your eyes are on your phone, your mind is in a very different state than when it’s daydreaming.

Over years of studies, researchers found that our brain has two separate attention systems, says Daniel Willingham, Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia — an external one and an internal one. The internal attention system, which is activated during daydreaming, is called the default network.

When your eyes are on your phone, your mind is in a very different state than when it’s daydreaming. (Credit: Getty Images)

“The default network is particularly active when you are thinking about yourself, thinking about the past, thinking about the future,” Willingham says. “You can’t really have both [attention systems] active at the same time, but they’re in some ways linked.”

If both systems can’t be active at the same time and we’re spending 10 hours a day in one attention system, it begs the question: what is that doing to our brains — and our ability to come up with creative ideas?

“This is not a small intervention that we are conducting on ourselves. In many cases this is an enormous amount of time,” Willingham says, “especially for teenage kids.”

From a psychological point of view, we’re more concerned about what this will do to us over the course of many years

“From a psychological point of view, we’re more concerned about what this will do to us over the course of many years,” he says. The consequences, as of now, are not fully known, but all this phone staring, all this time spent in one attention system, may very well have a long-term effect.

Digital detox

The good news is that some people are already self-regulating their overuse. King recently went off Facebook after realising she was spending too much time on the site in her in-between moments.

“I’ve been developing a self-awareness recently about my overuse,” she says. “I’ve been trying to curb it, but it’s hard.”

Some people are already starting to self-regulate when it comes to their internet and screen usage, scheduling in time for technology detoxes (Credit: Alamy)

Willingham, who used to listen to podcasts or books on tape while he walked for exercise, has started leaving his devices at home. He’s much happier with the silence. And Fries consciously limits her phone and television time, and if she could, would go even further.

“I actually have fantasies about going off the grid for about a year,” she says.

Barring that, Fries recommends starting with self-awareness. Notice when you’re looking at your phone and how it makes you feel. If you’re tapped out for creativity, go for a walk or do some other activity that doesn’t require focused attention. Most importantly, give yourself the time and permission to daydream, which, especially in our culture of busyness, is easier said than done.

Accepting your own daydreaming state of mind is almost revolutionary

“I think it’s something individuals can own,” Fries says. “Accepting your own daydreaming state of mind is almost revolutionary.”

Companies would also benefit from giving their employees the space to let their minds wander, she says, allowing them to come up with better, more innovative ideas.

“Any leader in any area, I can guarantee you they’re a big daydreamer,” Fries says.

In addition to going off Facebook, King has stopped taking her phone or computer to meetings when possible, and it’s helped her access better and more unique ideas, she says. Plus, she gives herself the time to exercise, get good sleep and take midday breaks—like heading to a nearby park with just some paper and a pencil.

“That is my ultimate ideal to get some creative juices flowing,” King says. “I feel like time just stops when you’re sitting there.”