Countless schoolkids have had their knuckles rapped for it.

Jobsworth bosses across the land try to stamp it out. But there is nothing like it for refreshing the mind and firing the creative juices. It has been revealed that daydreaming, that delicious pastime which allows our minds to fly free, is not only enjoyable but provides essential down-time for our brains.

Neuroscientists at the University of Southern California suggest that brain activity during rest improves self-awareness and moral judgment as well as our ability to learn, concentrate and remember information. Letting the mind wander, the study concludes, is essential for wellbeing.

This is what we daydream believers have suspected all along. Just as dreaming at night allows us to process our day, daydreaming allows for momentary reflection.

Many great thinkers and artists have come up with theories and plot lines during lucid dreams. Thomas Edison came up with the idea for the electric lamp in a dream. Likewise, daydreams are fertile ground for sparks of genius. It was while lolling in the bath that Greek scholar Archimedes had that eureka moment.

Unlike night dreaming, when you are a hostage to your mind's craziest notions, with daydreaming you are in the driving seat. Visualisation is commonly used by sports psychologists. If you can visualise winning that race, you're more likely to make it happen.

I've always thought there is something suspect with individuals who fill every second with furious activity. Technology is making it worse - plugging every gap with information overload.

As for whip-cracking bosses, a momentary flight of fancy can only enhance productivity so everyone is a winner.