By Richard Jenkins
The average British adult spends over three hours a week daydreaming, it has emerged.
Researchers found despite hectic workloads we ‘zone out’ for around ten minutes at work as our minds wander.
We even daydream when we get home, according to the study, spending a further 13 minutes ‘in another world’ when we should be getting on with chores such as tidying up or cooking.
It also emerged our thoughts frequently drift on the commute to and from work, typically for around 10 minutes every day.
One in five claimed they daydreamed due to ‘boredom’.
Gregory Tatton-Brown from Casumo.com, which commissioned the research, said: “Sometimes everyday life can be a little less exciting than we’d like, so many Brits tend to switch off.
“It can happen when you least expect it – during a long work meeting, while waiting for the kettle to boil or even in the middle of a conversation.
“We want to fill people’s lives with excitement, and give them more reasons to stay invested in the now rather than drifting off into a daydream.”
It also emerged lying in bed before going to sleep is the time that Brits are most likely to let their minds wander, although one in four are most likely to daydream on their way to work.
Nearly one in five said the last hour of the workday before they go home is when they’re most likely to dream of a different life.
But it was also revealed the most common time for workers to start daydreaming is 14:41, just after lunchtime. but with the majority of the afternoon still ahead.
The survey, which was conducted by OnePoll.com, found the most common thing to daydream about is going on holiday, with four in ten Brits admitting that’s where their mind goes to during idle moments.
One in four said they’re most likely to fantasise about winning the lottery, and one in five admit they daydream with their stomach, and start putting together their dream dinner in their mind.
And one tenth are so exhausted by their daily life that the thing they fantasise about the most is simply getting into bed at the end of the day.
Other common daydreams include what to do in a zombie uprising, what it would be like to be a spy for a day, and one in 20 often thinks about what their cat is up to at any given moment.
One fifth of the population admit they’re easily distracted which leads to them daydreaming, and 36 per cent say they regularly go into ‘autopilot’ mode during the daytime.
Seventeen per cent have also missed a turning, or made a wrong turn while driving, due to being inattentive behind the wheel.
And the same amount have burned food as they were daydreaming when they should have been paying attention to what they were cooking.
Gregory Tatton-Brown added: “It’s clear that many people find their lives are a little dull, which leads to them spending so much time daydreaming.
“And nearly a fifth tend to daydream when they’re feeling stressed or fed up, perhaps suggesting that people aren’t completely satisfied with their lot in life.
“We can’t promise to stop you from daydreaming at work, but spending some time on Casumo.com will at least inject some more excitement into your life.”
THE TOP 30 THINGS WE DAYDREAM ABOUT THE MOST
1. Holidays
2. Your to-do list
3. About winning the lottery
4. Your plans for the weekend
5. Your plans for the evening such as what to have for dinner
6. Food in general
7. The state of the world
8. Decorating your home
9. What to have for lunch
10. Shopping
11. Random thoughts like if there are really such things as aliens
12. Doing up your garden
13. About an upcoming big event such as a wedding or a birthday
14. Current affairs
15. Existential wondering
16. About an argument or fallout with a partner, friend or family member
17. Something you read about in the news or a magazine
18. Getting into bed at the end of the day
19. What the rest of your family might be up to
20. Having a lie-in
21. Wondering what your partner is doing
22. Wondering what your kids are doing
23. Walking up to your boss and quitting your job
24. Being famous
25. Wondering what your pet is doing
26. About meeting a celebrity
27. What you’d do in case of a zombie uprising
28. Puppies and kittens
29. Playing in a Premier League/FA Cup/World Cup match
30. Being a spy
ENDS
