Here is another valuable Management Tip of the Day from Harvard Business Review. To sign up for a free subscription to any/all HBR newsletters, please click here.

* * *

Resisting distractions seems like an intuitive way to be more productive, yet research shows that excessive focus exhausts your brain. To tap into your “default mode network” — an unfocused state in which your brain activates old memories, enhances self-awareness, and imagines creative solutions — use positive constructive daydreaming.

o Begin a low-key activity, like knitting or gardening, and allow your mind to wander.

o But don’t simply slip into a daydream or rehash old worries. Instead, imagine something playful, like running through the woods.

o Hold the wishful image in your mind while continuing the low-key activity. In this unfocused state, your mind will recharge, connect ideas, and even find long-lost memories.

The associations your mind makes during positive constructive daydreaming should enhance your sense of self, making you a more confident leader.

Adapted from “Your Brain Can Only Take So Much Focus,” by Srini Pillay

To check out that HBR article and join the discussion, please click here.

Here’s a direct link to dozens of other Management Tips.