We've all had days that drag on and on with no end in sight. You struggle to focus on the task before you. Your eyes keep darting over to the clock on your laptop screen, watching the day inch toward its end.
You feel your mind wandering off like it's anywhere but here. You're zoned out.
Zoning out can be symptomatic of a more significant issue calling for your attention. However, spacing out isn’t always bad—there are also some unforeseen benefits.
Here, we're looking at what causes you to zone out and what it might be telling you about how you work. Let's dive in.
What is zoning out?
Zoning out is a short-term period of time when you disconnect. In effect, your brain switches over to autopilot. You're no longer present or focused on the task at hand. Your mind might wander to other topics or be completely blank.
Sometimes it's a task you don't need to pay close attention to, like folding laundry or washing dishes. The stakes are low for these mundane activities, so your mind can be elsewhere. Test subjects completed trivial tasks in one study while monitoring their brain activity. They found the test subjects spent up to 13% of the time doing these tasks zoned out. When our brain can switch to autopilot, it does.
It's not uncommon to get distracted at work. Our brains aren't meant to hyperfocus all the time. It's our job to understand our brains and working styles to make a realistic schedule and task list. If you find yourself zoning out often, it might be time to take a closer look at potential causes.
Why do we zone out?
There are a whole host of reasons why you might zone out. Here are a few of the most common ones:
- Boredom
- Not enough sleep
- Burnout or brain fog
- Information overload
- Coping mechanism
- Overwhelm or stress
In the majority of cases, zoning out isn’t the problem. It’s a side effect of an underlying issue that requires your attention or accommodation. For example, neurodivergent individuals face additional challenges while working that neurotypical individuals do not.
Difficulty focusing or zoning out are common experiences for individuals with ADHD. A neurotypical brain's attention span fluctuates, but the attention span of someone with ADHD does so far more often. A therapist can often help individuals with ADHD navigate their experiences. Specific techniques and tools can support those with ADHD to stay focused.
Zoning out provides a sense of relief. It can even feel good or relaxing to daydream. Usually, it means your brain is looking to do something other than what is currently happening. From that perspective, zoning out isn't always bad—sometimes, it’s creatively productive.
The relationship between zoning out and productivity
The common refrain states that zoning out is bad for productivity. If you're not focused, then you're not completing tasks. If you're not completing tasks, you're not productive, right? Well, not exactly.
This approach is true if you view productivity in terms of how many deliverables someone completes in a certain amount of time. But we know that true productivity is more nuanced than the quantitative measurements associated with it. Sustainable productivity combines deep work, shallow work, and breaks.
A wandering mind isn't such a bad thing. In fact, zoning out can help you be more productive. (Yes, you read that right.)
Sustainable productivity invites time for your creative mind to explore new ideas. You can work through thought experiments or brainstorm inventive solutions to complex problems. Zoning out creates the space for your mind to do this work. It doesn't produce measurable deliverables, but it's where thinkers can develop their most ingenious ideas.
So let's get rid of this notion that zoning out is always wrong. Depending on the cause behind zoning out, your brain could be doing highly creative, thus highly productive, work. There are times when active listening is necessary, but it's important to avoid dismissing all daydreaming as bad.
The first step is noting when you zone out so you can diagnose potential reasons.
What to do when you zone out
Note when and where you zone out
Pay attention to when your mind shuts down, and you might find a pattern. Note any specific meeting or task that always pushes your brain to wander. Do you always zone out while sweeping, or is it when you’re trying to listen during an important meeting? There could be moments when your nervous system feels overstimulated, prompting it to shut down. Recognizing when and where you zone out is important for understanding how to address it.
Use grounding techniques
If you catch yourself zoning out when you shouldn't be, find a way to pull your mind back to the present moment. Focus on how it feels to sit in your chair. What sounds do you hear in the background? Find an item to fiddle with to give your hands something to do while your mind focuses.
Take stock of your current workload
This step is important for preventing burnout. If your workload is so heavy that you're zoning out, it's time to adjust what's on your plate. Overwhelm and stress are bad for productivity in the long run. You achieve sustainable productivity by maintaining a realistic schedule and workload. This helps you avoid losing yourself in a never-ending pile of tasks. If you are in this situation, ask for help.
Practice daily self-care
Self-care is more than pints of ice cream and bubble baths. True self-care is authenticity and respect for yourself. Avoid setting unrealistic expectations that result in disappointment if you don't achieve them. Try to not schedule a day with more than a few hours of deep work. Make sure you prioritize rest, breaks, food, and activities that bring you joy. This balance lends itself to healthy productivity and wellness.
The benefits of zoning out
Help you relax
Sometimes zoning out is a support mechanism when you feel overwhelmed or stressed. Your mind wandering off provides relief from thinking about an endless to-do list. Zoning out can help you relax and rest before returning to stressful topics.
Boost creativity
When we zone out, our minds often wander toward unresolved problems or topics of interest. Your mind is free to explore the furthest reaches of your creative subconscious. You think in new ways and uncover innovative solutions to age-old problems. You may finally find an answer to that question you've been stewing over for days.
Relieve boredom
No one enjoys boredom. Zoning out can be a response to an understimulated mind. Sometimes you need to pay attention, so finding tricks to help you stay focused is important. You should only allow your mind to wander when the task allows it.
Signal that it's time to take a break
If you're struggling to keep your eyes open and your mind keeps turning to other topics, it's time to step away. Take this as a clear signal that it's time to take a break. Breaks, when needed, lend themselves to good long-term mental health and sustainable productivity.
Sunsama supports healthy productivity
The right tools can help you plan a day that caters to your working style. This level of care invites time for productive deep work as well as shallow work and breaks.
Sunsama is one of the best time management tools out there. For one, the interface is easy to use. You can organize your day, set realistic goals, and end the day feeling like you've conquered your task list. Sunsama prioritizes healthy productivity and goal setting. It encourages a realistic amount of work that bodes well for long-term productivity.
Here's how Sunsama can help you build a balanced and productive schedule:
- Create time for deep work with Focus Mode
- Plan a work day that includes breaks as well as deep work
- Encourage realistic goals for your workday or week
- Record estimated time and actual time worked so you can iterate your schedule
- Prioritize tasks you mark as important or that have an upcoming due date
Sunsama’s features allow you to plan your day in a way that sets you up to hyperfocus on your most important tasks. By prioritizing your work and creating a schedule that reflects your goals, you can minimize distractions and work sustainably.
Ultimately, Sunsama helps you maintain a healthy work-life balance. Its calendar layout lets you look at your week holistically, so you can set realistic weekly goals and avoid over-scheduling.
Zoning out isn’t all bad—it's complicated. Diagnose why you're zoning out before taking the next steps. Then, use time management tools to schedule a day that addresses those root issues.
Reserve time for deep and shallow work. Choose a good time to let your mind wander and be creative.
Try Sunsama for free today to create a realistic schedule and task list that fosters healthy, long-term productivity.
