How to Focus the Mind Naturally

An unfocused mind races, worries about everything and cannot stop thinking. Sometimes it feels impossible to slow down and find any focus in your thinking. Not only is it possible, but you can do it yourself, without medication or an expert telling you what to do. Slow down your thoughts, slow down your activities and narrow your focus to one single thought. Focus on your breathing and your mind will slow down and find focus again.

Instructions

Instructions

• 1

  Writing in a journal can clarify your thinking.

  Dedicate 30 minutes to focusing your mind every day. Build this time into your daily schedule and put everything else aside to meditate and slow down your mind. It might feel like "dead" time in your busy day, but once you are in the habit of focusing your mind, you will achieve more. Your thinking will be sharper and the increased clarity will make you more productive. Explore various approaches to focusing your mind and settle on one that works for you.

• 2

  Focus on your breathing and slow down your mind.

  Practise yoga breath meditation. Find a quiet, uncluttered place to sit in a quiet room, or outside in a peaceful setting, perhaps in a park or next to a river. Take a few deep breaths. Focus on your breathing for 15 minutes. Think about each breath in and each breath out. If you find your mind wandering, start again until you can focus fully on your breath. For the next 15 minutes, be aware of any sensations in your body, or any thoughts. Focus on these as you continue to breathe slowly in and out.

• 3

  Focus on each breath in and out.

  Allow new thoughts and ideas into your mind without over-thinking them or analyzing any of them. As you breathe in, count to three. As you breathe out, again count to three. Alternate this with counting only the breaths in or the breaths out, and then count the time between breaths. Narrowing your thinking to this level will focus your mind and clear it of all unnecessary thoughts and clutter.

• 4

  Sit outdoors and be mindful of your surroundings.

  Observe everything around you. If you are sitting in a park, be aware of the grass at your feet, the trees and the birds. Listen to the sounds of the park and clear any other thoughts out of your mind. This will help you not only to focus your mind but make you aware of sights and sounds you might never have noticed.

• 5

  Be still and alert to what you observe.

  Be completely still. Do not fidget or shift in your seat.