&gt; You know how it goes: one moment you&#x27;re reading or driving, the next you&#x27;re off in a daze, thinking about what you should have for lunch, or running through to-do lists in your head.<p>There must be a word for this moment, when the primary focus of attention shifts from the near physical environment to thoughts that are &quot;mentally near&quot;. I certainly know the subjective experience of what is being described, but I lack the words to express it. It superficially resembles a context switch.