It can take a while until you're able to stay focused on your breath for any length of time. If you are having trouble concentrating on your breath and you mind keeps wandering, here are some techniques to help keep your attention focused on your breathing. As part of the home practice, you'll be doing one of these for 5-10 minutes a day. You can try themthe first one now if you like.
Counting Your Breaths: Counting your breaths from one to ten. At first you can count “one” on the inhale, then “two” on the exhale. Once you’re able to make it to ten without losing track, then count one number per inhale/exhale cycle, counting on each inhale. If you continue for longer than ten breaths, once your count gets to ten, start over again at one. If you lose track, don’t worry about where you were, just start over again at one.
Measuring Your Breaths: Each time you take a breath, measuring its length by silently counting to yourself:
Don’t force your breaths to be a certain length. Just breathe naturally, measuring your breaths, however long they take. You may count to five or six, or maybe only to three. As you do this exercise, you may find your breaths naturally become longer.
Breathing In, Breathing Out: Following your breath by silently repeating to yourself the phrase:
You can also shorten the phrases to “In, Calm.... Out, Relax,” or silently say one word on each breath, such as ”Calm ... Relax,” or simply “In ... Out.”