Such lapses in attention turn out to be a crucial creative skill
— @jonahlehrer
In recent years, however, scientists have begun to outline the surprising benefits of not paying attention. Sometimes, too much focus can backfire; all that caffeine gets in the way. For instance, researchers have found a surprising link between daydreaming and creativity—people who daydream more are also better at generating new ideas.
Other studies have found that employees are more productive when they’re allowed to engage in “Internet leisure browsing,” and that people unable to concentrate due to severe brain damage actually score above average on various problem-solving tasks.
This is a partial except from an essay in the bestseller End Malaria. Click here to find out more.