Give your brain a break

A power nap for the brain can provide you with a more productive workday. And all you have to do is let your mind wander, says app creator Anne Barrowclough.

‘Running on empty’ will resonate with many, whether from work, care, household or sports. When we sense our functioning is operating below par – we feel depleted. We know we need to take breaks. We understand they are important for our physical and mental well-being. We have holidays to get away from it all, but the breaks we take during the day to refresh are arguably even more important than the holiday, for they set the tone for our day-to-day living. 

 So how can we find a way to take a meaningful break that can refuel and rest, without requiring a beach or plane travel? It’s simple. Take a wander. 

Mind wandering (different from mindfulness and meditation) helps people proactively engage the brain while taking a break. It encourages daydreaming through short bursts to restimulate, refocus and rejuvenate the brain. 

Mind-wandering can be described as that state where ‘our attention shifts away from the task at hand toward task-unrelated thoughts.’ It is associative thinking – the thoughts running in all sorts of directions, linking in as individual a way as the individual who is mind wandering. They can be memories from the past, plans or dreams for the future, fantastical, and whimsical thoughts. Research on mind wandering is much more nuanced now, acknowledging and recognising different types of mind wandering and investigating outputs as a result of mind wandering – deliberate and unintentional; ruminative and associative; connection with creative thinking, problem solving and cognitive flexibility, and considering impact on mood, stress and anxiety. 

With mind wandering – you are not trying to do, to be, to get anything. The joy for most mind wandering breaks is that they take you away from stress, from an anxiety, from problem solving, from high intensity focus – for a personal flight of fancy. Your break should be leaning away from “I must just check… on phone, emails etc” and instead lean into your past, your future, your fantasies, your identity, wandering in time and space.

So how can we apply mind wandering to our everyday lives?

Employee wellbeing is becoming increasingly important as hybrid working arrangements and workloads take a heavy toll on employee engagement, productivity, and overall health. ‘Mind wandering when used strategically is a particularly effective type of micro-break that allows individuals to cognitively and affectively disengage from their work demands.’ Allowing the brain to move into mind wandering mode regularly, is likely to be a win-win strategy. It can help team members to improve their mood, boost their creativity and open their thinking. 

It is time to unfocus. Give your brain a break. Take a wander. 

Wander120, a mind wandering app (the first of its kind worldwide) was created in New Zealand by Anne Barrowclough (pictured above). Wander120, delivers you an endless supply of 120 second mind-wandering microbreaks. This small but powerful act of positive mind wandering can help to recharge the brain, plus unlock the power of creative thinking.

Stepping away from a task, problem or period of intense focus, and letting your mind wander freely for a while (different from mindfulness and meditation) triggers different areas of the brain to fire up. This simple exercise can improve your mood and boost your creativity and problem-solving.

“Do you ever wonder why some of your best ideas come to you in the shower, when you’re out for a run, or just running on autopilot? That’s not a coincidence. When you allow your mind to wander or become unfocused, a different area of the brain – called the Default-mode Network – is activated,” says Anne Barrowclough.

Anne has worked with a range of neuroscientists, academics, industry leaders, employees working remote/and in the office, the young, and old to trial the app, and the reviews have all been positive.

For more information go to: www.wander120.com