I think this might be about right. I rarely have interesting insights while doing other things, but there was this one time where I was trying to fall asleep and suddenly figured out what the bug was in the code I had been working on a couple hours before. I had it down to the exact line that was wrong. But that's very much the exception for me. I'd be interested in such a post.

I've spent some time studying research on how to think productively and I can say with some confidence that I am in fact doing it all wrong. Of course, I also have enough knowledge to be a master seducer and know all the techniques of a martial artist far beyond my meagre belt. Alas...

Some attempts at writing a good manual describe ways to promote the kind of relaxed dreamlike thinking described here and how to exploit it to best effect.