People underestimate how fun thinking can be.
Researchers from the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan found that people underestimate the enjoyment they get from just letting their mind wander without having a digital device or some other form of distraction around. In a series of experiments with over 250 volunteers, the team found that people consistently underrated how much enjoyment they got from simply sitting in the company of their own thoughts for up to 20 minutes, thinking about whatever they wanted to.
Results show that each person enjoyed letting their mind wander much more than they thought they would. This held true when the researchers changed the experiment several times, including placing the participants in an empty conference room, in a dark tent, having them sit for just three minutes, and asking them how much they were enjoying themselves halfway through the 20-minute session.
Every time, the group ended up saying that just sitting and using their brain to think freely was much more fun than they predicted.
They recommend taking the time to do nothing. Put down the phone, put down the book, just be and be with your thoughts and let them wander wherever.
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