Experts say a 'mind wandering' technique unleashes ADHD's incredible creative potential

Do you have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? If so, you're probably aware that one of the great advantages of being neurodivergent is creativity. That's because people with ADHD have an increased ability to think of many ideas from a single starting point.

Researchers at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology held two studies that allowed people diagnosed with ADHD to mentally wander in directed and uncontrolled fashions to unlock their full creative abilities. The results found that those allowed “deliberate mind wandering” were able to unlock higher creative potential, but people diagnosed with more ADHD symptoms creatively thrived better in both “deliberate” and “spontaneous” mind wandering compared to their counterparts.

"We found that people with more ADHD traits, such as lack of attention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity, score higher on creative achievements in both studies. This supports previous research,” said lead researcher Dr. Han Fang. “Additionally, we found that mind wandering, particularly deliberate mind wandering, where people allow their ‘thoughts to wander on purpose,’ was associated with greater creativity in people with ADHD. This suggests that mind wandering may be an underlying factor connecting ADHD and creativity.”

What is mind wandering?

This further cements other studies that claim those with ADHD showcase higher creativity than those who don’t. Deliberate mind wandering gives “permission” to let your brain wander in a more controlled manner, in essence, “unleashing it” during assigned breaks or blocks of time, to allow it to find out-of-the-box solutions or brew ideas out of focus that can be refined when focus returns.

While spontaneous mind wandering can be inconvenient when a task demands attention, it still offers some benefits. It can help develop cognitive flexibility, pattern recognition, and overall learning within younger people. While there are situations in which it can be more frustrating to keep focus to finish tasks, spontaneous mind wandering isn’t purely debilitating.

The deliberate practice of mind wandering, however, benefits the creativity and thinking of people with or without an ADHD diagnosis. It can also help people process their emotions and boost mental health via taking a break from the task(s) at hand. All a person has to do is to give themselves permission to daydream and just let go. Maybe add an alarm or a time limit if you have tasks with specific deadlines.

If you find yourself having the opposite issue and have trouble allowing your brain to wander, practice makes perfect. Set aside time and change your environment to keep you away from potential distractions (such as your phone) and let your mind go free. If you’re a person who can’t just sit and think, you can let your mind wander while your body commits to lesser cognitive tasks, such as taking a shower, going on a walk, washing dishes, or doing laundry.

Letting your mind wander without a destination can open you to creative ideas you've never considered before. As the old saying goes, not all who wander are lost, and, for those with ADHD who mind wander, they may end up finding something spectacular.