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Bad Habit Slimdown, Week 23: Daydreaming

daydreaming-work-habitsBy J. Mason
Online Career Tips Editor

Do you find yourself staring at a certain spot on the wall in a windowless room during meetings? Well, we all do at some point. No matter how engaging a conversation is there are times when your mind starts to wander away. When you’re not the one speaking in a meeting it can be hard to concentrate on what’s happening around you. I’d like to call this type of distraction daydreaming. Some do it as an elective, and others drift into it without realizing. There are some positives about daydreaming, but be mindful of when you’re doing it.

The reason I see daydreaming as a bad habit this week is because of some of its negative effects. It removes you from the meeting, and sometimes it even shows on your face. Don’t get caught with your guard down simply because you’re fantasizing about a dream vacation. Meetings are one of the better times to stay at alert. We all have that boss or co-worker that likes to call people out for not paying attention. They’ll typically direct the spotlight onto you if they believe you haven’t been paying attention or know you’re not prepared to answer certain questions. Does it make their actions wrong? Sometimes, yes, but for the most part this extra attention should be a good wake-up call for you. Daydreaming can be beneficial, you just need to know when to do it.

Leave those moments for your desk, or for time spent outside of the office. Since daydreaming is a solitary activity it should happen in a setting where others aren’t relying on your feedback. It’s frustrating when you ask a co-worker for their thoughts, and it’s pretty apparent they have no idea what you’re talking about. Maybe they were daydreaming, or simply not paying attention. Don’t be a nuisance in the presence of others!

Don’t stop the daydreaming altogether. Save it for when you need some inspiration or you’re having a bad day. Sometimes envisioning a better scenario can pick you up out of a funk. I typically let my mind wander when I’m strapped for new ideas. While my initial thoughts aren’t focused on the task at hand they eventually come full circle and I get the idea I was searching for.

Daydreaming isn’t all bad, and it can be fun, it’s just knowing when to do it. Long meetings may seem like a good time to let your mind glaze over, but bring a pad of paper to doodle ideas onto instead. Be aware of your colleagues, and be respectful of their time spent sharing information with you.

How did you do on last week’s bad habit, overindulging on office freebies? Even though it isn’t treat season there is still the occasional leftovers from a party. Watch your waistline when you take a few bites from the office kitchen.

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