How to Stop Daydreaming Too Much

If daydreams are interfering with your daily routine, this could be a sign to remind you to improve your concentration and only daydream when it’s time to sleep. To reduce your daydreaming time, you should begin to understand the extent and purpose of your daydreaming. You can then apply techniques to reduce daydreaming, increase focus, and engage in activities that maintain your attention.

Table of Contents

Analyze your dream signs

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Understand the purpose of your daydreaming. Knowing why you tend to daydream is crucial to learning how to change this habit. If you don’t know the cause of something (without grasping the real problem), it will be difficult for you to come up with a solution. Sometimes people dream for the purpose of getting away from stress or other painful emotions. ^{[1] X Research Sources} The imaginary world allows them to be liberated and away from negative emotions. Daydreaming can also be a way to soothe yourself as you imagine your dreams coming true. ^{[2] X Source of Research} In addition, daydreaming can also be related to the need to forget certain information (trauma, traumatic circumstances, etc.). Daydreaming also causes you to forget information or memories that you had before. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Make a list of the types of daydreams you often have as well as your thoughts on their function. For example, if you determine that you often daydream about conversations with friends, they help you predict what might happen and practice responding accordingly. Another example is that when daydreaming about buying a house, you look towards better days and hope for the future.
Ask yourself, “Overall, what is the purpose of my daydreaming?” Do you daydream to find relief, distract your thoughts, make yourself feel better, or kill time?

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Recognize the signs of daydreaming. Understanding the signs of fantasies helps you develop ingenious ways to reduce each of those types of fantasies. ^{[4] X Research Source} Most of your daydreaming is at school or at work? Do certain circumstances stimulate your daydreaming behavior?

Determine the frequency of daydreaming. Set an alarm after an hour. During that hour, jot down times when your mind drifts along with your daydreams. For example, as soon as you realize you’re daydreaming, mark a piece of paper and so on. This action will increase your awareness of when you were actually daydreaming. Sometimes it takes a few minutes for you to realize you’re daydreaming, that’s okay, you just need to jot down each moment.

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Identify negative consequences. If daydreaming leads to difficulties in your daily life, such as interruptions in work, study, relationships or personal obligations, the habit is going too far and will cause problems. harmful. Unfortunately, mind wandering can also make you feel bored. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

List the negative consequences that arise from your rich imaginary world. This list could include: spending less time with family or friends, poor academic performance due to inability to concentrate, failure to complete work due to distractions from daydreams, feelings of friends and family feel unheard because you are daydreaming.

Apply fantasy reduction techniques

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Improve awareness. First, you must be aware of your daydreaming behaviors as they appear to make a change. Once you have clearly identified the purpose, signs, and consequences of your daydreams, it can be beneficial to begin to notice when you are dreaming. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Signs of daydreaming may include the following actions: stopping eye contact when communicating, having trouble concentrating on what you’re doing, not remembering things just mentioned in a conversation, having a thoughts unrelated to the current situation, having imaginary conversations with others, or imagining events in your head.

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Write a dream notebook. Once you’ve determined that you’re daydreaming, stop immediately and write about what you just dreamed about, the time, the situation, or the place, and how long your mind wandered. ^{[7] X Research Sources}^{[8] X Research Resources} This action will help you become aware of when you are daydreaming, as well as better understand your behavioral cues.

Question the effects of those fantasies. Wondering if daydreaming helps you at all?

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Set direction and limits for your fantasies. Certain fantasies can lead to negative consequences. For example, daydreaming about people you don’t know well will make you feel more lonely. ^{[9] X Research Sources} However, imagining those close to you enhances feelings of connectedness and fulfillment in life. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Choose the right limits so that when you exceed them, you can realize that you have to stop daydreaming. Some limitations may be intimate gestures, spending large sums of money or extreme violence.
Sometimes when you get lost in your dreams and waste your time, look at the clock. Wearing a watch reminds you that living every moment is precious, because that moment will never come back!

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Pay attention to your fantasies. Letting your mind wander can help you think for yourself and work towards your personal goals. ^{[11] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to source} Imaging and visualization techniques are quite common in therapy, especially in the treatment of anxiety and depression. With visualization techniques, you can make your daydreams revolve around things that are beneficial and supportive of relaxation.

An example of a visualization exercise is to close your eyes and imagine yourself in a safe place. ^{[12] X Research Source} It could be a beach, your bedroom, church or any other place that makes you feel safe, secure and relaxed. Imagine how you would feel in this place. Notice the temperature, the air, the body sensations, and other emotions you have. Is anyone else in a safe place with you? What are you doing there? Stay in a safe place until you are completely relaxed and ready to open your eyes.
Many online resources can guide you through your photo technique exercise. ^{[13] X Research Source}^{[14] X Research Source}

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Get up and walk around. As soon as you realize you’re daydreaming, get up and get active. This way more or less relieves the body’s energy, helps your mind to focus again and reduces the time of daydreaming. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Try stretching. Reach your arms up as high as you can when you don’t feel any discomfort. Then, spread your legs to the sides while standing and do your best to touch the ground with your hands (to the extent that you are still comfortable).
You can do jumping jacks, running in place, or swinging your arms. Try movements that are positive, safe, and appropriate for your location and situation.

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Reward yourself for focusing. Every time you complete a task without daydreaming, reward yourself. The above idea is based on the theory of positive reinforcement, an element of manipulation conditioning, and studies have shown that this activity enhances positive behavior (eg, sustained attention). ^{[16] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to source The} above action also sets a personal limit (you won’t play until the job is done) and sets expectations for you to work towards (rewards) .

Treat yourself to a favorite treat, like a candy or snack.
You can also reward yourself with a 5-minute break. Getting the right amount of rest even enhances your work performance. Use this time to do what you want, like playing video games or texting friends.

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Consider treatment. Excessive daydreaming can become a problem if it’s interfering with your life, such as difficulties with relationships, school, your ability to perform work, or other daily activities. If this is the case for you, treatment may be the beneficial option. ^{[17] X Research Source}

Contact a psychologist (psychologist – PsyD, or doctor of psychology – PhD), marriage and family therapist (MFT), or psychiatrist (MD).

Increased concentration and attention

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Try mindfulness exercises. When you daydream, you are focusing on your own fantasies or thoughts – things that have nothing to do with everything that exists around you. Mindfulness is being present in the present. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

Try eating your favorite fruit and focus on the feel, look, and taste of that fruit.
Use online resources to learn about mindfulness and try mindfulness techniques. ^{[19] X Research Source}

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Apply grounding techniques. This technique separates you from emotional pain, is especially useful when you are dealing with difficult situations and emotions, and is a healthy and beneficial alternative to daydreaming or fantasizing. mystical. Grounding can be done in any situation and at any time you want, helping to refocus your mind. Once you’ve done the grounding exercises, go back to your original task or task. You will find that you focus better after applying a particular grounding technique.

Name some different objects in your room and their uses.
You can also name some colors or animals that come to mind.
Remember that you must not spend too much time on the grounding technique, or you are just using it as another form of daydreaming. Limit your practice to 1 minute, and get back to the work you’ve done.

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Get enough sleep. Poor sleep leads to more daydreaming. ^{[20] X Trusted Source PubMed Central Go to the source} If you don’t rest your mind at night, your mind will be hyperactive during the day. For people with sleep problems, the rate of depression, anxiety or other medical problems will also be higher than normal. ^{[21] X Research Source}

Establish a sleep schedule (time to sleep and wake up time), and get at least 8 hours of sleep each night.
Practice rest and breathing techniques to help you fall asleep each night.

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Breaks. If thoughts are distracting you, a break will work in your favor. ^{[22] X Research Sources} Sometimes a lack of concentration is a sign that we are overworked. Taking breaks can enhance work performance, especially on tasks that require thinking. ^{[23] X Research Sources}

Try going for a walk or down the street.
Do something you love for a few minutes, have a snack, listen to music, or watch TV.

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Be active both physically and mentally. If you start daydreaming when you’re not actually doing anything, such as sitting still, try being more active. For people who have trouble paying attention, a little exercise can help them focus better. ^{[24] X Research Sources}^{[25] X Research Sources}

Get a pillow, stuffed animal, or stress ball to play with.
Some people claim that listening to music while doing simple tasks helps them focus. ^{[26] X Research Sources} Music is a bit of a distraction, keeping your mind focused on what’s important.

Participate in an attention-sustaining activity

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Find new hobbies. Engage in fun activities to keep your attention focused.

Do things that inspire you, such as walking in a beautiful place, meditating, looking at works of art, etc.
Try exercises like cycling, walking, playing sports, dancing, gymnastics, and yoga.
Avoid activities that enhance daydreaming, such as watching too much television. Watching too much television reduces your creativity and enhances daydreaming. ^{[27] X Research Source}

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Chat with a friend or family member. People who receive social support tend to have better mental health. ^{[28] X Research Resources} We need social support to solve all problems, including mind wandering or distraction.

Choose someone you know well and feel comfortable around. Then ask if they are available to answer the phone and talk to you, every time you find yourself absorbed in a certain daydream.
You can ask friends or family to remind you when they realize that you are daydreaming. This will help keep you accountable and increase your awareness of your short-term attention.

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Plan less and do more. Planning can be a form of daydreaming, because you spend too much time thinking about a situation without actually achieving anything. It’s time to stop dreaming and start doing!

Build a schedule and stick to it. If you find yourself daydreaming, get up and change the situation or do something beneficial.
While drifting on a fantasy, gently bring yourself back to the work you were doing before your mind started wandering. Accept it and don’t judge yourself.

Advice

Pursue your dreams. If there’s a dream you know you can achieve, work towards it! Achieving your dreams will prevent other problems from getting in your way.

Steps

Analyze your dream signs

Apply fantasy reduction techniques

Increased concentration and attention

Participate in an attention-sustaining activity

Advice

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