Malia Mason argues that mind wandering can be a good thing. In fact, when we mind wander, we may actually be focusing on unfulfilled intentions or unfinished business. She uses the metaphors of a spotlight and a watchdog to demonstrate how the mind focuses on bigger goals than just the task at hand. Daydreaming allows us to plot our next move and to focus on goals that we care about. Therefore, it is important to find a balance between the task we're doing and embracing our mind wandering.

Malia Mason is an assistant professor at Columbia University. She uses brain imaging and traditional experimental approaches to explore why the mind is driven to wander despite our heroic attempts to keep our minds focused on the task at hand.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx.