What should you do when your mind wanders while meditating?
Notice that it has wandered, name the kind of thought in one word, and gently return to your anchor. That is it. You will do this many times in a single sit, and each time counts. The goal of beginner meditation is not a mind without thoughts. It is getting better at noticing when attention has drifted and coming back.
Many beginners assume they are "bad at meditating" because their mind keeps moving. In fact, the moment you notice you have wandered is the moment the practice is working.
Why does your mind wander so much?
Wandering is the mind's default, not a flaw. In a study that sampled thousands of people's thoughts in daily life through a smartphone app, Killingsworth and Gilbert (2010) found that people were thinking about something other than what they were doing almost as often as they were thinking about the task in front of them. Sitting still with nothing to do but feel the breath gives that tendency plenty of room.
Researchers who study meditation describe it as a cycle rather than a steady state. In a brain imaging study of 14 experienced meditators, Hasenkamp et al. (2012), participants focused on the breath and pressed a button whenever they realized their mind had wandered. The researchers modeled four repeating phases: mind wandering, becoming aware of it, shifting attention back, and sustaining focus. Even practiced meditators went round this loop again and again. The study was small and focused on brain activity, but it gives beginners a useful map.
A four-step return you can use every time
Use the same steps every time so returning becomes routine.
- Notice. Realize that you are thinking about something else. You did not choose this; it just happened.
- Label. Silently name the type of thought with one neutral word. Keep it short and without judgment.
- Release. Let the thought go without finishing it. If it is important, it will still be there after the timer.
- Return. Bring your attention back to your anchor, such as the feeling of the breath at your belly, and rest there until the next time you drift.
Here are labels that cover most thoughts:
| What your mind is doing |
One-word label |
| Making lists, rehearsing tomorrow |
Planning |
| Replaying a conversation or memory |
Remembering |
| Imagining what might go wrong |
Worrying |
| Evaluating the sit or yourself |
Judging |
| Noticing an itch, ache or sound |
Feeling or hearing |
| Picturing a scene or daydream |
Imagining |
| Not sure what it was |
Thinking |
"Thinking" works for everything if you do not want to sort thoughts at all.
A worked example of one five-minute sit
Here is what a realistic beginner sit might look like.
- 0:00. Timer starts. Attention on the breath at the nostrils.
- 0:20. You are thinking about an email. Label: "planning." Back to the breath.
- 0:45. You wonder whether you are doing this right. Label: "judging." Back.
- 1:30. A siren outside. Label: "hearing." Back.
- 2:10. Two full breaths with attention on the nostrils. Then a memory of a conversation. Label: "remembering." Back.
- 3:00 to 5:00. Four or five more rounds of the same.
By most beginners' standards, this sit felt "bad." By the standard of the practice, it was a good sit: eight or nine returns in five minutes. The number of returns is a better sign of practice than the number of calm moments.
Tactics for very busy minds
If returning feels impossible, try one of these for a few sits:
- Count breaths. Count each out-breath from one to ten, then start again. When you lose count, you know you wandered, and you start again at one.
- Use a bigger anchor. The belly rising and falling or the feeling of your hands in your lap can be easier to notice than the breath at the nostrils.
- Switch to sounds. Let sounds arrive and fade as your anchor. Some people find this less effortful than the breath.
- Shorten the sit. Two minutes of returning is better practice than ten minutes of frustration.
- Open your eyes slightly. A soft downward gaze can reduce vivid daydreams and sleepiness.
When does the advice change?
If the same worry keeps coming back
A persistent worry may need attention outside the sit. After meditating, write it down and decide on one small next step, or schedule time to deal with it. Our guide on how to start journaling offers a simple format for this.
If you keep falling asleep instead of wandering
Drowsiness is different from wandering. Sit upright, open your eyes slightly, meditate at a more alert time of day, or try a short walking meditation.
If thoughts or feelings become distressing
Ordinary distraction is expected. Strong fear, panic, flashbacks, feelings of unreality or overwhelming sadness are not something to push through. Open your eyes, feel your feet on the floor, and stop the sit. The US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health notes that a minority of people report negative effects from meditation, most often anxiety and depression. If you have experienced trauma or live with a mental health condition, get guidance from a qualified professional before continuing.
Where to go from here
For a complete beginner routine, read how to start a meditation habit. The 30-day meditation plan for beginners introduces noticing and returning on day 4 and labeling thoughts on day 11. You can build a plan around your own schedule or browse the mindfulness topic hub.
