Focusing & wandering are both necessary

From Dr. Mark Waldman, Professor at Loyola Marymount  University:

"From a neuroscientific perspective, it is essential to train your brain to do both: to focus your full attention on an important task, but then to allow your mind to wander as your brain uses its creative imagination to solve problems. Throughout the day, your brain is constantly shifting between these two neurological states - between your “executive network” that allows you to make conscious decisions before taking action, and your “default-mode network” which where your imagination and fantasies intermingle in a unique nonverbal way."

"Try it right now: close your eyes and mindfully yawn and stretch for 60 seconds. Then focus on your breathing, noticing how your chest and belly moves. Do this for another minute, and then deliberately let your mind wander and daydream. You’ll see glimpses of positive and negative thoughts. You’ll feel moments of pleasure and pain in your body. Stay in this mindful state of awareness for another minute or two and then ask your intuition to whisper to you something new about yourself, or the world, or reality. Savor whatever comes to mind, and ask your intuition for another insight."

"... your brain isn’t built to stay focused all the time... your brain has to constantly shift between focused attention and mind-wandering – a daydream-like state where your unconscious imagination creatively works to solve problems... Neuroscientists call this part of the brain the Default Mode Network (DMN), something you can experience every time you close your eyes and relax. However, if your brain spends too much time lost in that mind-wandering/daydream state, you’ll have trouble focusing your attention to carry out important tasks."
 
"...you need to create a balance between the CEN and DMN, between your analytic mind and your creative brain, and this where a third neurological process comes into play: the Salience Network (SN), an area that includes the insula and anterior cingulate, both of which are stimulated by many forms of contemplative practices like mindfulness, lovingkindness, and compassion meditation. This is the network that gives our life and actions meaning and purpose, and the Salience Network helps to regulate the brain’s shifting between the CEN and DMN. It is the center of emotional regulation, social awareness, empathy, intuition, and self-love, qualities that are enhanced when we meditate. Any “abnormal” functioning between these three networks is believed to cause most of our psychological problems, and when a person learns how to consciously manipulate these three networks, IQ test performance is increased. You’ll achieve more goals and feel more satisfied with your entire life!

The secret is to practice self-reflection as you remain deeply relaxed, observing your thoughts and feelings without judgment, and then asking your intuition – or God or your higher self – for insights about your problems and your desires.  Listen to those whispers and combine it with all the outer knowledge you’ve accumulated over the years. Remain curious and be playful as you explore new knowledge and experiences, and maybe – just maybe – you’ll experience what brain-studies suggest is enlightenment: the ideal balance of all of the “intelligences” in your brain!