'Idle mode' and dream recall

[Ladon]

I'm a student in Entertainment (digital arts branch) and my tasks during the exam period (now) involve drawing a lot and 3D modelling, animation. The nature of these tasks is that the creative part is in the beginning and somewhere in the middle it's just... 'doing it'. I can't say it's brainless but it's a lenghty proces and not overly difficult and you can practically 'automate' it. This causes me to be in a somewhat sleepy 'idle mode', not really thinking of what I'm doing... just lifting my hands n stuff, going about the routine. Now here's the interesting part: Whenever I'm in this 'mode' I remember dreams from the past, some from a couple of years ago, some from a week ago... Same thing happened when I was doing a vacation job in a factory, mindless routine and boring as hell. Then my mind is just freestyling and if I don't particularly focus my mind I sometimes recall dreams I've forgotton about. I'm not really sure if I *never* remembered them, because I think I might have remembered them during the night, or when I wake up but then completly forget about them afterwards during the day (or night). So anyone has this when they're not in a focused mind state? This obviously only happens when I take an interest in the whole dreaming topic, like now.

[Seeker]

That is one of the things I enjoy so much about manual labor, especially mowing the grass!!! I put my body into auto-pilot and let my mind wander in whatever direction it wishes. It is amazing some of the things that float up, memories, ideas.... Everyone should dedicate a few hours a week to mindless activities, it can be quite relaxing and enlightening.

[ollei]

I agree I get the same thing from knitting

[jarrhead]

This site has made me look forward to sleeping at night, and not minding work anymore.