Do you consider your wandering thoughts a distraction?

Yes

Absolutely

Occasionally, I will think those periods of wandering thoughts allow me to be creative. However, I spend too long doing it and then I realize I haven’t completed my period of focused work. Then I chastise myself for wasting time. The cycle goes on… complimenting myself for my creative wandering thoughts then berating myself for wasting time.

Eating right, exercising, meditating, sleeping well, and sticking to my routines and rituals does allow me to get focused work accomplished and then perhaps I should try to let my mind have wandering thoughts and rather than berating myself, I should try to gently guide myself back to accomplishing work- or if I have completed my work, I should enjoy the wandering thoughts for a little bit of time!?

yes but those things happen. i think what really matters is that you put effort in not being distracted. if you notice yourself being distracted, do you get back to work or do you continue to procrastinate?

Yes. Sometimes it just occurred to me that during my working with one project, I suddenly think about another thing needs to be done.

Yes. Mind wandering is actually what my sister did her Thesis on, and is continuing to study as a PhD student. It's an interesting topic. Working memory and Monday wandering often go hand in hand. I like that Fabulous chimes often to remind you to get back on track; however I ignore it more often than I'd like!

I think that my wandering thoughts are trying to allow me an escape route from doing what I know I have to. I am a serial procrastinator and so it is not difficult for me to be led astray. Staying the path is what is the real hard part.

No. Wandering thoughts is part of the diversion process necessary to eventually converge one's thoughts into a unified action or idea.

Yes sometimes they are.
Not the best
if you let your mind wander when you really have
to focus on a particular task.
Because
the task completed
With wandering thoughts
Is inevitably
not upto
Ones full potential.

No, I think when we have wondering thoughts our minds need a break. It is like a signal for us to stop and take a 5 minute break to breath. I think wandering thoughts let us bring out our creative and bring out our fun in us so no our wandering thoughts Are not a distraction

I used to but then I started meditating using Headspace and now I nudge myself back to where my brain needs to be rather than get annoyed with myself for daydreaming

No. Because not all wandering thoughts are bad. Some are actually really good and help plan the future. So it’s best to acknowledge your wandering thoughts and then get back to what you were doing.