It's only 10 a.m. and your mind is already wandering. Instead of dealing with the paperwork piling up on your desk, you're visualizing a tropical beach or walking the red carpet at your very own movie premiere or single-handedly manning the emergency room at the local hospital.

If you think you're simply wasting time, dreaming the day away, think again. The life you lead in your daydreams can tell you some very important things about your true self.

Think about it. How many times have you heard someone say, ”This just isn't the life I envisioned for myself?” Maybe you've even said it yourself. If so, read on for more about using your fantasy life to add some spark – or even completely overhaul – your reality.

Figure out what you want
It's not as easy as it sounds. If your head is filled with images of you running hand in hand with Brad Pitt, escaping paparazzi, you don't necessarily need to give up your day job to try your luck in Hollywood. Maybe what you want is some excitement, some glamour, something to spice things up. Maybe you want a career in photography. You need to read between the lines of your daydream to find the hidden meaning. As with sleeping dreams, daydreams are a way for our subconscious to communicate what is important to us. Make a list of the things you spend your days dreaming about, and look for common themes among them.

Be a kid again
As a child, dreaming about what you'd be ‘when you grew up' was an all-day pastime. It was not out of the realm of possibility to want to be a firefighter, astronaut and ballerina – at the same time. Over the years, security becomes more important than realizing our dreams and we lose that sense of possibility. Get it back. Imagine (hey, you're daydreaming anyway!) that you have the freedom to do anything, anything at all. What would it be? Is there any way that you could work your dreams into your day-to-day life? If your ideal life has you delivering presents to children all day, maybe you could look into volunteering at a local school or youth centre. You might not be able to create a new life, but if you allow for some child-like possibility, you might be able to improve the one you've got.

Where to begin when making changes
It's one thing to be unhappy with aspects of your life, be it your relationship, job or social life. It's quite another to refuse to do anything about it. You already have an idea about what you can fix – it's what you spend your working hours imagining. So figure out how much of your dreams you can realistically incorporate into your life. A new garden in front of your house is doable. Is selling your house and moving to the country a possiblility? Once you know what kind of changes you need to make, start talking. Tell your friends, family, anyone who will support you. The more people you tell, the harder it will be to back out when you have second thoughts.

Finally, remember: It's your life. They're your dreams. Only you truly know what will make you happy, and only you can make it happen. Good luck!