What category does Scatter Focus belong to?

Scatter Focus belongs to the "Techniques" category in personal knowledge management and productivity.

What are the key topics related to Scatter Focus?

Key topics related to Scatter Focus include: focus, creativity, thinking, mindfulness, productivity.

What are alternative names for Scatter Focus?

Scatter Focus is also known as: Mind Wandering, Diffuse Thinking.

Scatter Focus

Intentionally letting your mind wander to generate ideas and make plans.

Also known as: Mind Wandering, Diffuse Thinking

Category: Techniques

Tags: focus, creativity, thinking, mindfulness, productivity

Explanation

Scatter Focus is the intentional practice of letting your mind wander, as opposed to directed focus or deep work. 'Not all those who wander are lost' - scatter focus lets the mind come up with ideas and make plans naturally. Research shows that during scatter focus, we think about the past (12%), the present (28%), the future (48%), and other things. This future-oriented thinking is valuable for planning, creativity, and connecting disparate ideas. Scatter focus complements deep work: while hyperfocus is for execution, scatter focus is for ideation. Building in regular periods of mind-wandering can boost creativity and problem-solving.

Related Concepts

Deep Work
Flow State
Focus
Brainstorming
Serendipity

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