It is the nature of the mind to think, to make associations, and to wander. Though mind wandering is natural, and may have some benefits, it can also act as a hurdle to our focus and attention. Being able to focus and sustain our attention is important for allowing us to accomplish our important goals, to really listen to others, or to simply be present with ourselves and our surroundings and spend less time in our heads. Is it possible for us to train our minds to be more focused and less distractible? Recent research suggests the answer may be yes.
A couple studies at our very own University of Miami indicate that mindfulness training can help us reduce our mind wandering. In the first study, a group of participants were tested on their level of mind wandering and ability to focus before and after a one month mindfulness training retreat. Their scores were then compared to a control group, who was also tested twice, one month apart with no training. Results indicated that at baseline, the two groups didn’t differ in their levels of mind wandering, however the group who went on the retreat scored significantly better than the control group at the end of the month. In a second study, participants were randomly assigned to either an 8-week mindfulness training course, or an 8-week nutrition and health course and were tested on mind wandering both before and after the trainings. Similar to the first study, there was no difference in the groups’ baseline scores, but those who completed the mindfulness course scored significantly better than those in the nutrition and health class. Taken together, these two studies suggest that mindfulness training can actually improve our sustained attention and decrease our distractibility.
Keryn Breiterman-Loader
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