Sleepwalking In The Mind

Sleepwalking: engaging in an activity without interest, enthusiasm, or awareness of the possible consequences.

We often do and say things mechanically, just going through the motions, and merely achieving more of the same. This could be synonymous with vertical thinking:

“Vertical thinking is selection by exclusion. 
One works within a frame of reference.

With lateral thinking, one realises
that something cannot be restructured from within itself
 but only as the result of some outside influence.”
– Edward De Bono

The outside influence is the realisation that consciousness beyond thought is present, and sees everything afresh,engaging in activities with interest, enthusiasm and awareness of the possible consequences.

Just stop, and only proceed when inspired.