<p>I'm not sure that a "concrete example" of mindless activity vs. mindful activity is possible, because it requires the use of subjective interpretations of what constitutes either of those two notions.</p>

<h3>Mindfulness</h3>

<blockquote>
  <p>Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you're mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience.</p>
</blockquote>

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/mindfulness" rel="nofollow">https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/mindfulness</a></li>
</ul>

<p>Using this definition, it seems as though there are relatively few activities one can perform while being <em>mindful</em>. If an activity requires a high level of concentration to perform, than it would be difficult or impossible to simultaneously focus on the meditative internal and external reflection implied by 'mindfulness.'</p>

<p>Examples of some activities that might be more favorable to such meditation:</p>

<ul>
<li>Going for a walk or hike somewhere</li>
<li>Going to a quiet, secluded location</li>
<li>Doing chores around the house that require little concentration</li>
</ul>

<p>Examples of some activities that might <em>not</em> be favorable to such meditation:</p>

<ul>
<li>Socializing</li>
<li>Working on a task that requires a lot of concentration or creative problem-solving</li>
<li>Watching an interesting movie or reading an interesting book, (unless perhaps you pause for self-reflection from time to time.)</li>
</ul>

<h3>Mindlessness</h3>

<p>This is also tricky because it may mean different things to different people. Mindlessness might mean simply the opposite of mindfulness, in which case the counter-examples I listed above might be considered 'mindless.'</p>

<p>However, it seems a bit strange to include things like creative problem-solving and socializing as a "mindless" activity; because your mind is absolutely engaged in what's going on, just not in the same sense as it is for a mindful / introspective reflection. </p>

<p>Perhaps a fair definition of "mindlessness" is if you're by yourself with some free time; instead of choosing to engage in some social and/or mental activity, or meditate in a mindful way, you just sit around; being bored, thinking about how boring something is, etc. </p>

<p>Yet even "mindlessness" with it's negative connotations may have some importance. Sometimes when you're undergoing great stress, mindful meditation may be good and useful but you're not ready to do it; you may need to distract yourself from something that's troubling you. You might have to try something "mindless" to clear your head a bit before you can even be "mindful." </p>

<h3>Conclusion</h3>

<p>The truth is; the human brain never truly slows down while you're alive. There's a persistent myth that we only use 10% of our brain; but while it's true that only portions of our brain are active at any given moment, we actually use 100% of our brain, just not all at the same time. It would be destructive and/or impossible to use 100% of your brain at once, that's not how the brain is designed to work. <a href="http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-percentage-of-your-brain-do-you-use-richard-e-cytowic" rel="nofollow">http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-percentage-of-your-brain-do-you-use-richard-e-cytowic</a></p>

<p>In this sense, the question of "mindfulness vs. mindlessness" isn't necessarily about whether or not you're using your mind. You use your mind regardless, even in your sleep. The question becomes whether or not you're using your mind <em>well</em>, and that ultimately is a personal, subjective question. </p>

<p>The closest I can say to understanding it objectively is that it's probably healthiest to strive for balance in how you live your life.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-15T07:13:07.370Z
'mindfulness means living **in the moment** and awakening to **experience**'. if I look at part of that definition, meaning I can be mindful in any activity I engaged in.
Einstein Faraday
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-14T16:57:57.157Z
2016-02-14T16:57:57.157Z
Kent.Green
<p>In think what you are referring to automaticity Vs explicit processes, which according to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_process_theory#Systems" rel="nofollow">dual processing theory</a> are performed from system 1 and system 2 respectively.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automaticity" rel="nofollow">Automaticity</a>  is the ability to do things without occupying the mind
  with the low-level details required, allowing it to become an
  automatic response pattern or habit. It is usually the result of
  learning, repetition, and practice.</p>
  
  <p>Examples of automaticity are common activities such as walking,
  speaking, bicycle-riding, assembly-line work, and driving a car (the
  last of these sometimes being termed "highway hypnosis"). After an
  activity is sufficiently practiced, it is possible to focus the mind
  on other activities or thoughts while undertaking an automatized
  activity (for example, holding a conversation or planning a speech
  while driving a car).</p>
</blockquote>

<p>.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_process_theory#Systems" rel="nofollow">System 2</a> is evolutionarily recent and specific to humans. It is
  also known as the explicit system, the rule-based system, the rational
  system, or the analytic system. It performs the more slow and
  sequential thinking. It is domain-general, performed in the central
  working memory system. Because of this, it has a limited capacity and
  is slower than System 1 which correlates it with general intelligence.
  It is known as the rational system because it reasons according to
  logical standards. Some overall properties associated with System 2
  are that it is rule-based, analytic, controlled, demanding of
  cognitive capacity, and slow.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Examples of explicit processes is finding the result of 312x254, learning a new physics theory etc</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-16T03:21:56.860Z
interesting theory. _automaticity_ is mindless, _system 2_ is mindful. I can relate to that.
Einstein Faraday
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-15T16:37:28.100Z
2016-02-15T16:37:28.100Z
DesignerAnalyst
<p>Can you give me concrete example of mindless activity and mindful activity? 
which category "watching movie" or "reading novel" belongs to?</p>

<p>my definition of mindful and mindless?
mindful to me is being aware of things I am doing. mindless is doing it without being aware of that activity (like auto pilot) </p>

<p>how to measure mindful and mindless objectively?
I honestly don't know the answer to that. but if i may try, maybe from the way I can retrace it back in my memory to the detail information.</p>

<p>I have been doing a lot of activity throughout my daily routine. a lot of those activities has been done mindlessly out of habit. how can I do it mindfully? </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-14T14:15:12.380Z
What is your definition of "mindful" and "mindless"?
Seanny123
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-14T15:17:22.300Z
How would you measure mindfulness and mindlessness objectively?
Seanny123
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-14T15:28:30.510Z
In that case, are you asking what activities enable greater recollection of details of the activity?
Seanny123
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-14T15:46:56.457Z
yes. I have been doing a lot of activity throughout my daily routine. a lot of those activities has been done mindlessly out of habit. how can I do it mindfully?
Einstein Faraday
<cognitive-psychology>
give me concrete example of mindless and mindful activity
Einstein Faraday
# give me concrete example of mindless and mindful activity

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-02-14)

Can you give me concrete example of mindless activity and mindful activity?
which category "watching movie" or "reading novel" belongs to?

my definition of mindful and mindless?
mindful to me is being aware of things I am doing. mindless is doing it without being aware of that activity (like auto pilot)

how to measure mindful and mindless objectively?
I honestly don't know the answer to that. but if i may try, maybe from the way I can retrace it back in my memory to the detail information.

I have been doing a lot of activity throughout my daily routine. a lot of those activities has been done mindlessly out of habit. how can I do it mindfully?

**Tags:** cognitive-psychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: What is your definition of "mindful" and "mindless"?  
> **username_1**: How would you measure mindfulness and mindlessness objectively?  
> **username_1**: In that case, are you asking what activities enable greater recollection of details of the activity?  
> **username_0**: yes. I have been doing a lot of activity throughout my daily routine. a lot of those activities has been done mindlessly out of habit. how can I do it mindfully?  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2016-02-15. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

In think what you are referring to automaticity Vs explicit processes, which according to the [dual processing theory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_process_theory#Systems) are performed from system 1 and system 2 respectively.

> [Automaticity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automaticity) is the ability to do things without occupying the mind
> with the low-level details required, allowing it to become an
> automatic response pattern or habit. It is usually the result of
> learning, repetition, and practice.
>
> Examples of automaticity are common activities such as walking,
> speaking, bicycle-riding, assembly-line work, and driving a car (the
> last of these sometimes being termed "highway hypnosis"). After an
> activity is sufficiently practiced, it is possible to focus the mind
> on other activities or thoughts while undertaking an automatized
> activity (for example, holding a conversation or planning a speech
> while driving a car).

.

> [System 2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dual_process_theory#Systems) is evolutionarily recent and specific to humans. It is
> also known as the explicit system, the rule-based system, the rational
> system, or the analytic system. It performs the more slow and
> sequential thinking. It is domain-general, performed in the central
> working memory system. Because of this, it has a limited capacity and
> is slower than System 1 which correlates it with general intelligence.
> It is known as the rational system because it reasons according to
> logical standards. Some overall properties associated with System 2
> are that it is rule-based, analytic, controlled, demanding of
> cognitive capacity, and slow.

Examples of explicit processes is finding the result of 312x254, learning a new physics theory etc

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: interesting theory. _automaticity_ is mindless, _system 2_ is mindful. I can relate to that.  

---

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-02-14. Score: 2

I'm not sure that a "concrete example" of mindless activity vs. mindful activity is possible, because it requires the use of subjective interpretations of what constitutes either of those two notions.

### Mindfulness

> Mindfulness is a state of active, open attention on the present. When you're mindful, you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, without judging them good or bad. Instead of letting your life pass you by, mindfulness means living in the moment and awakening to experience.

* <https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/mindfulness>

Using this definition, it seems as though there are relatively few activities one can perform while being *mindful*. If an activity requires a high level of concentration to perform, than it would be difficult or impossible to simultaneously focus on the meditative internal and external reflection implied by 'mindfulness.'

Examples of some activities that might be more favorable to such meditation:

* Going for a walk or hike somewhere
* Going to a quiet, secluded location
* Doing chores around the house that require little concentration

Examples of some activities that might *not* be favorable to such meditation:

* Socializing
* Working on a task that requires a lot of concentration or creative problem-solving
* Watching an interesting movie or reading an interesting book, (unless perhaps you pause for self-reflection from time to time.)

### Mindlessness

This is also tricky because it may mean different things to different people. Mindlessness might mean simply the opposite of mindfulness, in which case the counter-examples I listed above might be considered 'mindless.'

However, it seems a bit strange to include things like creative problem-solving and socializing as a "mindless" activity; because your mind is absolutely engaged in what's going on, just not in the same sense as it is for a mindful / introspective reflection.

Perhaps a fair definition of "mindlessness" is if you're by yourself with some free time; instead of choosing to engage in some social and/or mental activity, or meditate in a mindful way, you just sit around; being bored, thinking about how boring something is, etc.

Yet even "mindlessness" with it's negative connotations may have some importance. Sometimes when you're undergoing great stress, mindful meditation may be good and useful but you're not ready to do it; you may need to distract yourself from something that's troubling you. You might have to try something "mindless" to clear your head a bit before you can even be "mindful."

### Conclusion

The truth is; the human brain never truly slows down while you're alive. There's a persistent myth that we only use 10% of our brain; but while it's true that only portions of our brain are active at any given moment, we actually use 100% of our brain, just not all at the same time. It would be destructive and/or impossible to use 100% of your brain at once, that's not how the brain is designed to work. <http://ed.ted.com/lessons/what-percentage-of-your-brain-do-you-use-richard-e-cytowic>

In this sense, the question of "mindfulness vs. mindlessness" isn't necessarily about whether or not you're using your mind. You use your mind regardless, even in your sleep. The question becomes whether or not you're using your mind *well*, and that ultimately is a personal, subjective question.

The closest I can say to understanding it objectively is that it's probably healthiest to strive for balance in how you live your life.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: 'mindfulness means living **in the moment** and awakening to **experience**'. if I look at part of that definition, meaning I can be mindful in any activity I engaged in.  

---

