Daydream Away, says Research

Got a tough problem to solve? Try daydreaming. Contrary to the notion that daydreaming is a sign of laziness, letting the mind wander can actually let the parts of the brain associated with problem-solving become active, according to research by Kalina Christoff of the University of British Columbia in Canada.

Until the results of the study, scientists had thought that the brain’s “default network,” which is linked to easy, routine mental activity, was the only part of the brain that remains active when the mind wanders.  But in the study, subjects brain’s “executive network” — associated with high-level, complex problem-solving — also lit up.

The less subjects were aware that their mind was wandering, the more both networks were activated.

“This study shows our brains are very active when we daydream — much more active than when we focus on routine tasks,” Christoff says.

What’s the takeaway for marketers?

Marketing, advertising, PR and the like, all require an understanding of the fundamentals, but their true power lies when we understand enough about these fundamental rules to break them in the interests of instigating the desired reaction.

So daydream away. The best marketing ideas are not found in a blog (not even this one). They are inspired by the world around us and born of our imagination.