Are You Mindful of Both Thinking and Thoughts, or neither at times ?

[sakoz]

Are you thinking? This question is superfluous, but it does have an effect. It causes you to shift perspective to understanding that thinking is going on and possibly witnessing some of those thoughts. "Where" was your perspective 'before' that question? Contrast the two perspectives.

From second perspective, you oversee the 'operation'. The first-perspective is being on auto-pilot, habitual/condititioned thoughts are in charge, etc.
"Who's minding the store?"   or   "Who's driving?"

[sakoz]

I'm not asking you "think outside the box" cliche. I'm suggesting 'shift perspective outside the box"from where thoughts are' and see the 'forest instead of only trees'.
Thoughts are accessed from "a system/memory" in a frame of reference; shift out to 'witnessing perspective'. Look at the frame of reference instead of being in it, using it to look at and living your life.
If your not sure what I mean by "shifting perspective"; it's like when you "get" the punch line of a joke. Your seeing one context and then suddenly there's a shift to another, causing laughter.
Other shifts cause insight, understanding and sometimes laughter comes with some insights.
When you put your nose against a mirror, you don't see much, there's also 'psychological short-sightedness' to. When not recognized, only the symptoms and results are addressed like with the common cold.