Excessive Mind Wandering Can Lead To Poor Performance: Practicing Mindfulness Improves Attention

Zoning out for a few minutes occasionally is completely normal, but excessive mind wandering can impact you negatively. Practice mindfulness to keep those distracting thoughts away.

Everyone zones out from time to time, especially when you are sleep deprived, bored or stressed. Research suggests our mind wanders quite a bit; some estimates say we spend 30 50 per cent of our time daydreaming. Zoning out for a few minutes during a meeting or class may not hurt, but if it happens more frequently or goes on for long periods of time, it can impact you negatively.

Excessive mind wandering can lead to many negative outcomes like poor performance and difficulties in remembering, according to a study published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement. The authors recommend practicing mindfulness to get your wandering mind back on track.

Mindfulness and mind wandering

Mindfulness is the ability to intentionally bring your attention on the present moment. This skill can be developed through meditation, breath-work or other training.

"When distracting thoughts or feelings come up, mindfulness helps us gently set them aside and refocus on what is right in front of us," said study lead author Lynley Turkelson, a doctoral student at University of Cincinnati's Department of Psychology, as quoted by Science Daily.

According to Turkelson, one can even practice mindfulness by paying attention to the experience of eating a favourite food. He was quoted as saying, "You may start by noticing the smell of the food before you eat it, what it feels like as you bite into it, how it feels in your mouth, and the taste. Or perhaps you pay attention to the flow of breath in and out of your lungs or on the sensations you experience in various parts of the body."

Turkelson and co-author Quintino Mano, a UC associate professor of psychology, reviewed research that looks at the relationship between mindfulness and mind wandering. They found that while mindfulness can be effective for reducing mind wandering, results differ depending on the research methodology.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, people are now facing even more distractions than normal. So, it is important to find research-based ways to decrease mind wandering and improve attention, added Turkelson.

How to practise mindfulness meditation

Growing evidence also suggests that mindfulness meditation can provide pain relief, reduce anxiety and depression, and help people with insomnia sleep better. Here's a beginner's guide on how to practise mindfulness meditation:

• Choose a place that is quiet and allows you privacy.
• Sit upright on the floor or a chair. Make sure you're in a position that is comfortable to you.
• Place your hands on your thighs, keep your eyes open and let your gaze rest gently on the floor in front.
• Try to stay in the present, be aware of your breath and feel your belly rise and fall. But don't try to control your breath.
• When thoughts arise during meditation, watch them come and go. Do not try to suppress or ignore your thoughts. If you find yourself getting carried away by them, gently bring your attention back to your breath and the environment around you.
• At the end of your meditation, spend a minute or two simply sitting and taking deep, even breaths and get up gradually.

Best time of day to meditate: Though the ideal time for meditation varies from one person to another, morning is generally considered the best time to meditate, since the mind is quiet and fresh. As per research, just 20 minutes of mindfulness meditation per day can offer significant benefits. And it is advisable to practice meditation on an empty stomach.