Alex's Answer

Hi there, 

Thank you for contacting us here at Ask Alex and asking this question, it is a very interesting one. You mention that you daydream all day and find you can’t focus on school or other conversations and you’re wondering how you daydream less. 

Firstly, daydreaming is something we have all done at one time or another, so you are not alone! It gives your mind the chance to relax, and it can be a nice feeling to just let your mind wander off and not think about anything in particular; or maybe there’s something coming up that you’re really excited about that means you’re spending a lot of time thinking about it and planning it out in your head. 

There is absolutely nothing wrong with daydreaming from time to time, it can give you a space to be creative, use your imagination, along with being a time for reflection. If it is starting to have an impact on other things in your life, maybe it would help to understand what is causing you to daydream. Once we find out why we are daydreaming, perhaps then we can do something about it.

Do you daydream because you are bored? Or because you don’t enjoy your school work? By thinking about what causes you to daydream, it may help you to start working on a solution. You could also consider are there any particular times/events during the day where you find yourself daydreaming. Maybe there are times that are more stressful for you, something happening in school, or simply if there are times when you don’t have anything to do. 

If you’re feeling like your daydreams are affecting your school life, maybe you could think about ways to keep your mind active while at school. Perhaps this could mean asking questions in class or taking more notes. It can be difficult to stay fully present when having conversations with others, be it a friend or family member, and it is easy to get distracted. Maybe by making eye contact with them, it can help focus your mind on the conversation and let you really zone in on what they are saying. Asking questions can also show the other person that you are listening and keep your mind focused on the chat at hand. 

Have you ever tried something like mindfulness? It is all about clearing your mind, and focusing on the present. When you are more aware of your thoughts, it could become easier to stop your mind wandering off into a daydream. You can check out this article spunout.ie/mental-health/self-care/try-mindfulness-exercises which suggests some different techniques and maybe there is one that you would like to try which could help you to daydream less. You may also find some helpful articles on the Childline website here www.childline.ie/how-i-feel/.

If there is something on your mind that is worrying or bothering you in some way, talking about it with someone you trust could help you. Childline are also here 24/7 to listen to anything you might like to talk about. You can contact us by clicking the orange LiveChat button on the righthand side of our website, or by calling us on 1800 66 66 66. 

Thanks again for asking this question, and we hope this answer helped in some way. 

Take care, 

Alex