Ask HN: What do you think about when you “zone out”? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: What do you think about when you “zone out”?

13 pointswjossey4 comments

I started paying attention to my “zone outs” a lot this week, taking note of how I use them.

I realized that for me, I use them as a form of rehearsal. These rehearsals tend to take the shape of a conversation (verbal or written) where I’m sorting through some difficult concept. Usually these conversations are with someone close to me (my wife, co-founder, mother).

As an example, yesterday I found a lump on my dog’s leg. I started rehearsing (while zoning out on a walk) different conversations I might have with the vet on Monday when she’s examined. Sometimes they were positive, sometimes they were dark. Either way, I was clearly mentally preparing myself for multiple outcomes.

How do you use your daydreams / “zone outs”?

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I do exactly the same thing. When I was younger they were more confrontational conversations that I fantasized about, but these days I find myself trying to find the right words and phrases to express concepts I'm preoccupied with. I don't do it on purpose but once I recognized it I realized that I'm able to find the words I'm looking for in conversation with much more ease.

This is a fun question -- I think my zone outs work as memory processing time. I often find myself replaying certain memories, particularly recent interactions I've had with people, and just re-watching the events that transpired in my mind. I sometimes will smile or cringe as I recall these events but rarely do I think about them "critically" (oh, Bob probably asked me that question for such and such a reason!) or have any kind of internal monologue doing commentary over these memories -- I just sort of passively remember them.

It is interesting to think about how this kind of blank thinking time could be used better -- like a rehearsal, as you experience, or thinking in a more directed way. I wonder how automatic this process is -- in my case, will I always by default just re-remembering events? Anyway, thanks for a neat question!

Thank you for a neat answer.

I thought similarly to you on day zero of thinking about this question, asking if I could spend this time more effectively. I’ve decidedly answered no, and mostly because it seems subconscious and effective. I don’t tend to fight my “lizard brain”, particularly when it comes to non destructive behavior.

Tonight I walked home from a movie and found myself passively daydreaming about a conversation with my wife. I came home, she asked me about the movie, and I felt prepared to answer. It’s a trivial thing, but it felt remarkably purposeful in the moment.

I do exactly what you just described!

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