You’ve probably experienced this: you try to work and your mind wanders. Maybe you’re battling with the upcoming presentation or dwelling on a misstep in a recent meeting, and these thoughts are just eating away at your productivity. Or perhaps you’re lying in bed, eyes wide open, desperately wanting to sleep, but the hectic thoughts just won’t let you?
If you’re nodding along, you’re not alone. In fact, about 50% of our daily thoughts, according to a study, don’t even relate to what we’re currently doing.[1]
What exactly are these distracting thought? Dr. Patrick Keelan is a Calgary-based psychologist who explains it this way:[2]
“These thoughts may be about worries regarding some upcoming event or challenge or could involve ruminating over some event or interaction which recently occurred.”
These internal distractions may manifest as negative or unexpected thoughts, random daydreaming, or unplanned impulses.
How can we quickly eliminate these distracting thoughts and declutter our mind? How can we focus more on our plans and be present?
Before we get to that, it’s crucial to understand why we keep having these distracting thoughts in the…
