How To Escape The Productivity Trap

Wasting time isn't a "luxury" - it’s how we unlock creativity and feel alive.

Hey there,

Katina here, Daydreamers’ Co-founder and Chief Science Officer. While I hope you’re enjoying a rejuvenating Sunday, I’m curious — do you ever feel guilty for being unproductive?

Today, I want to flip that idea on its head, because unlike we’ve been taught to believe: “wasting" time isn’t unproductive or lazy — in fact, it’s one of the most creative things you can do.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the cost of our collective Productivity Trap: The endless pressure to do more, be more, achieve more, at all costs. It’s a drumbeat I’ve experienced often throughout my life; not just as Creative Health Scientist, but in my personal choices, too.

Even though I’ve studied burnout for years, I recently found myself slipping into that cycle again. Every moment of my day was optimized — if I wasn’t working, I was self-improving. If I wasn’t self-improving, I was scrolling (for the sake of knowing what’s going on). And when I wasn’t scrolling? I was mentally sparring with myself, trying to find something better to do.

In the process, I was squeezing the real-life moments when I’d often let my mind wander — like doing laundry, cooking dinner, playing with my dog — into tiny, efficient boxes. I outsourced when I could, and when I couldn’t, I rushed through them as fast as possible.

Sound familiar? 😵‍💫

One day last year, I finally paused and asked myself: Where am I actually trying to get to?

As a Creative Health Scientist, I know how important it is to give ourselves room to be bored, to play, to let creativity flow freely. But, I also know how easy it is to get caught in the trap of taking shortcuts out of real life, hoping it will lead us to some amorphous gold star down the road. (Spoiler: Those gold stars never feel like enough.)

As I zoomed out, I realized: I’m not alone in this. We’re all racing somewhere, chasing a finish line that keeps moving.

It’s obvious that rushing through mundane, everyday moments isn’t helping us get more done, but it’s also crushing the creative process. And, our obsession with optimization doesn’t just feel overwhelming — it’s costing us something essential: Our Creative Health.

Scientifically, letting ourselves daydream is where we heal, rejuvenate our brains, and most importantly, reignite our creativity. So, let’s talk about why “wasting” time might be exactly the medicine we all need right now.

How Your Creative Brain “Wastes” Time

I’m going to let you in on a scientific secret: The moments when you feel like you’re “wasting” time, your creative brain is most hard at work.

Basically our brain operates in two main modes. The one we’re most familiar with is the Focus Network — a set of brain functions that are highly refined for life optimization. These parts of the brain get activated when you’re doing logical, process-oriented tasks, like completing items on a To Do list or churning through your inbox (or worse, doomscrolling on social media).

On the other hand, there’s its radical, creative cousin: The Imagination Network (scientifically known as the Default Mode Network). This is the part of your brain that lights up when you’re daydreaming, mind-wandering, or even doing something as mundane as chopping veggies or taking a shower.

When we’re not actively focusing, our brain is engaging in it’s creative superpower: Connecting dots in unexpected ways. During this seemingly unproductive time, you’re solving problems beneath the surface, making sense of the world around you, and even replenishing your attention.

In essence, The Imagination Network is the seat of your storytelling, inspired, curious self.

The coolest part to me is that engaging your Imagination Network isn’t just about creativity — it’s mentally restorative, too. When you give your brain time to wander, it actually reduces stress, quiets your fear receptors, and even helps you make less impulsive decisions.

We don’t have to spend all our time in the Imagination Network — in fact, research shows that it’s essential for us to have a dance between the two. But, when we’re stuck in The Productivity Trap we don’t spend nearly enough time daydreaming, mind-wandering or savoring the mundane.

So if daydreaming is essential for our Creative Health, why do we treat it like it’s something to be ashamed of?

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The Science Behind the “Magic Pause”

Think about it: How many of us were told to stop daydreaming in school? How often do we feel guilty for staring out the window during the workday?

Instead of being taught to harness our innate creative superpower, our world has demeaned this natural state of being into something dangerous or wasteful.

But, research tells us the opposite of what we’ve been taught. In one of my favorite studies, scientific researchers wanted to understand the Imagination Network’s role in the creative process. They found that participants who were told to take an intentional mind-wandering break during problem-solving came up with 50% more creative ideas than those who tried to power through.

But, the dance between daydreaming and focus isn’t just something studied in research — artists talk about the importance of the “magic pause” all the time. Einstein was famous for taking long, aimless walks to let his mind wander while working in the lab. Music producer Rick Rubin builds mindfulness breaks into his process, knowing that more work and efficiency often mean less space for imagination.

They’ve learned that the pause is where the art resides.

Here’s the problem: Most of us don’t give ourselves enough time in the Imagination Network. We’re too busy getting to inbox zero, crossing off tasks, and rushing from one thing to the next. But what if we redefined what productivity looks like?

What if we valued non-linear mind-wandering just as much as a clean kitchen or an early deadline?

At Daydreamers, that’s our entire mission: To help all of us learn how to balance creative focus and imagination. Our members tell us that even just by signing up for the Daydreamers community it shifts their mindset — and makes a commitment to have more space for creativity, play, and daydreaming in everyday life.

So this week, when you catch yourself in a Focus Network spiral, ask yourself: Where in life am I skipping daydreaming in favor of getting ahead? Then, let yourself pause. Stare out the window. Take a slow walk. Peel the garlic without rushing.

See what happens when you stop viewing it as a waste of time — and start seeing it as a magical, creative, and restorative ritual.

Remember: it’s the medicine.

- Katina

Daydreamers’ Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer

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Like what you’re reading?

Joining Daydreamers isn’t just the best way to support your Creative Health—it helps us continue sharing these free resources with the world, too. Creativity isn’t a luxury. It’s essential. And our world needs it now more than ever. 🫶🏽

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Creative Brain Teaser 🧠

Here’s a little taste of what we do at Daydreamers. Each week, we’ll share a creative concept or tool from the Daydreamers Platform to help you turn this week’s insights into action.

The Imagination Network

• What it is: Your brain’s Imagination Network connects seemingly unrelated ideas, helps you make sense of the world, and restores your attention. It kicks in when you allow your mind to wander—whether you’re doodling, daydreaming, or just letting your thoughts drift in the shower.

• How to experiment with it: Next time you’re stuck on a problem, don’t force it. Instead, take a break—go for a walk, cook dinner, or do something simple and restorative. Let your brain work behind the scenes. Research shows that this balance between focused attention and non-linear imagination is the sweet spot for creativity.

  Curious to explore more? We’ve got a whole library of science-backed creative exercises waiting for you in the Daydreamers Universe.

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One thing we’re into 🪐

In the name of simplicity, each week we’ll share something that myself, Katina, or our team @ DD HQ is obsessed with. It can be an idea, a quote, a book or even a product that’s helping us live a little bit more of a creatively fulfilling life.

On The DD Bookshelf: Essentialism

This book is a favorite at Daydreamers HQ. Essentialism dives deep into what it means to live intentionally—not driven by over-optimization, but guided by clarity and purpose. From our perspective, discernment and autonomy are key pillars of creative health. Plus, we love Greg’s focus on making more room for Kairos (expansive, flow-filled time) rather than just Chronos (clock-driven time).

🧠 Tell us: What does Kairos—those timeless, flow-state moments—look like for you?

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Help us reach our goal of 20,000 community members here on Substack - we’re so close! Share Creative Health by Daydreamers with a friend or two who need a dose of creative living 🤍 We so appreciate you helping us share this movement with the world.