Mindfulness for people who can’t switch their brains off
“I can’t do mindfulness. My brain won’t stop.”
I hear this often. Usually from someone who has plenty to think about, a lot to organise and very little time when they’re not doing something for somebody.
They’ve tried sitting quietly. Their mind has produced a shopping list, replayed a conversation and remembered something they should've done yesterday.
So they decide they’re no good at mindfulness.
But mindfulness doesn’t need you to switch off your brain. Thinking is rather a large part of its job.
You don’t need an empty mind
Mindfulness is about being present and noticing what’s happening, including your thoughts.
You can notice a thought, acknowledge it and let it pass without needing to do anything about it in that moment.
Think of watching clouds float across the sky. You see a cloud, but you don’t need to follow it. Or imagine a fish swimming past. You notice it and let it swim on by.
Thoughts can be like that too.
“There’s that thing I need to do.”
You’ve noticed it. For this short moment, you can let it pass and return your attention to what’s around you.
You’re not pretending it doesn’t matter or deciding never to deal with it. You’re giving yourself a little space before getting involved.
And if the thought comes back? You can notice it again. There’s no need to tell yourself off.
Try listening for a minute
You don’t need a perfectly quiet room to try mindfulness. In fact, somewhere with a few different sounds can give you plenty to notice.
Take a café.
The chatter is probably the first thing you hear. But what else is there?
Can you hear a spoon stirring in a cup? The clink as someone puts it down? A chair moving? The coffee machine in the background?
Those quieter sounds are easy to miss when you’re busy thinking about everything else.
For a minute or two, try this:
Sit comfortably and let your attention settle on the sounds around you. Your eyes can stay open.
Notice the most obvious sound first.
Then listen for something quieter or further away.
If you catch yourself planning, judging or following a thought, acknowledge it and then bring your attention back to listening.
There’s nothing you need to find. You’re simply taking time to really hear what’s there.
You can try it at home too. Perhaps you notice birds outside, footsteps, the hum of an appliance or rain against the window.
Your mind will wander
You might hear a spoon stirring and immediately think about making a drink. Then remember
you’re nearly out of milk. Then start planning a trip to the shop.
Before you know it, you’ve mentally left the café.
That doesn’t mean the exercise has gone wrong.
The moment you notice you’ve wandered is an opportunity to return. Hear the next sound. Begin again.
You don’t need to turn that into a performance review.
It doesn’t have to become another job
If your days are already full, the thought of adding a lengthy daily practice may put you off before you begin.
Start with a minute.
Listen while your kettle boils. Notice what you can hear while sitting outside. Take a short pause between finishing one task and beginning another.
There’s room for longer practices too, but you don’t have to start there.
The point is to explore what works for you and what you can realistically bring into your day.
Something small you actually use is far more helpful than an impressive routine that never gets started.
You may feel more settled afterwards. You may simply notice how busy your mind is. Neither needs to become a verdict on how well you’ve done.
Fidgety sceptics welcome
If you’re curious but not convinced mindfulness is for you, you’re welcome to come and experience it for yourself.
My Mindfulness for Busy Minds course is a practical introduction over three friendly online sessions.
We’ll explore short one, two and five minute exercises, alongside longer guided practices such as a body scan. There’ll be time for questions and discussion, and you can choose how much you share.
Dates: 3, 12 and 18 November 2026
Time: 7.30–8.30 pm each session, UK time
Where: Live online via Zoom
Group size: Maximum 10 participants
Price: £30 for the complete three-session course
After the course, you’ll receive an email. It will contain a booklet of the exercises, a recorded guided meditation and a recorded body scan, so you can practise in your own time.
The live sessions aren’t recorded.
You don’t need to arrive with a quiet mind. Bring the one you’ve got.
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