Michael Corballis

And we also underestimate how much we can do if we take rest seriously.

In 1899, the great American psychologist William James noticed that his fellow countrymen were becoming accustomed to working long hours.

Instead of having a positive effect on economic output and individual well-being, James predicted that this way of life would not only increase the frequency and severity of our mental breakdowns, but also lead to less productivity, or as he wrote in his essay, The Gospel of Relaxation, If working long hours and living excitedly and hurriedly would only enable us to do more, there would be some compensation, some excuse for going on so, but the exact reverse is the case.

James identified a truth that is largely lost in the modern day.

Rather than staring at our phone, one of the best forms of rest is to stare into space and let our mind wander.

Studies have shown that mind-wandering is not a waste of time but a critical cognitive activity that helps us make sense of the world, digest experiences, process ideas, and make new connections between things, which is the basis of creativity.

Mind-wandering is the secret of creativity, wrote the psychologist Michael Corballis.

Or as Johann Hari writes in Stolen Focus, Why You Can't Pay Attention, I thought that mind-wandering was the opposite of attention and that's why I felt guilty about doing it.