7 God-Honoring Focus Tips for a Wandering Mind: Free Printable

This post is about adhd awareness month.

Written by a previous trauma therapist, a Licensed Master Social Worker, and current Student working toward her PHD learning how to bridge the gap between theology and psychology.

Disclaimer: This post uses affiliate links. I may earn a small commission on purchases (at no extra cost to you).

In honor of adhd awareness month, let’s talk about what to do when your mind drifts just as you need to get things done. Adhd awareness month shines a light on a challenge that many people with ADHD face every day. But in a world full of constant notifications, noise, and demands for our attention, almost everyone knows what it feels like to struggle to stay focused. So, whether you live with ADHD or simply want to concentrate better, this post is for you. Let’s dive in.

Searching for Christ with a Wandering Mind

Have you ever sat down to read your Bible, then 5 minutes later your mind is already wondering what you are going to cook for dinner, reliving old conversations, and picking up your phone to answer a new text or email. You pull yourself back into your Bible study, just to drift off a few moments later again.

If this sounds familiar, often times we will carry a weight of shame and guilt.

“I need to do better.” “I am failing in my relationship with the Lord.” “I want to be closer to God, but I just can’t get my brain to focus.”

This is your reminder that you are not failing spiritually. You are not lazy, and you are not failing the Lord. God created each of us to be uniquely different and sometimes we have a brain that doesn’t operate as well in the same situation as others.

This doesn’t mean we have to completely give up our quiet time with the Lord. In fact, we that desire to spend some alone time with the Lord is a crucial calling we need to honor and pursue. We can learn practical tips to help us develop a quiet time that is deeply personal to how Christ created your beautiful mind and ultimately deepening our relationship with Him. Now let’s look at some practical and evidence-based research we can use to specifically curate a quiet time that not only honors the Lord but helps you move out of a state a shame and into a state of acceptance for your unique brain and needs!

Common Signs of a Wandering Mind

Everyone struggles with a wandering mind at times. However, a continuous pattern of a low attention span could be a sign for an important conversation that is needed to be had with your Primary Care Provider or Psychiatrist. Take a moment to reflect on the common signs of a wandering mind and ask yourself how often this occurs.

• Drifting during conversations, sermons, or reading, even when you care deeply about the topic
• Losing track of time, running late, or underestimating how long tasks will take
• Starting many tasks but struggling to finish them
• Frequently misplacing everyday items such as keys, your phone, or your Bible
• Being easily pulled off task by noises, notifications, or your own passing thoughts
• Difficulty with tasks that feel boring, paired with intense, hours-long focus on things that interest you (often called hyperfocus)
• Mental restlessness, with a mind that feels like it has too many tabs open
• Shame and self-criticism about all of the above

If these signs sound like your daily experience, consider speaking with a physician or licensed mental health professional. There are many tools and resources available to further help those who are struggling with chronic attention span issues.

Seven Practical Tips for Staying Attentive

Now let’s look at some science backed tips that we can use to help improve our overall focus and attention span backed by evidence based research!

1. Make clear intentions with flexible strategies: Instead of trying to force a behavior or action, one can use implementation intentions. When making a plan, you are more likely to achieve said action when you decide in advance exactly when, where, and how you will act. For example, instead of saying I’ll pray more” try “After I pour my morning coffee, I will sit in the blue chair and pray for five minutes.”. Giving yourself clear directions attached to a common habit you already do significantly increases one’s follow through rate.

2: Break up the tasks and use a timer: Unclear large tasks make it easy for your mind to wander. Instead, break the large task into smaller steps that can be accomplished in 15–25-minute blocks followed by a short break. Including a timer can make this easier to follow as well.

3: Change the environments if you’re struggling with willpower: Creating an environment you know you will thrive in is significantly easier than fighting off distractions. Putting your phone in another room, turning on some music, and creating a designate work area can help you focus during that allotted time you have set aside. In one well-known study, the mere presence of a smartphone, even face down and silent, was associated with reduced available cognitive capacity (Ward et al., 2017). Findings in this area continue to be debated, but reducing temptation is a low-cost experiment worth trying.

4: Move your body: Moving your body is one of the most underrate tools we can use to help increase attention. Taking a short walk before an important task and even standing up to stretch when your mind starts to wander in the middle of one can help reset your focus. Fun tip: taking a walk while you pray is a great method to helping you focus while you are praying!

5: Improve your sleep schedule: Low attention spans and poor sleep are closely associated with one another. Poor sleep hurt one’s attention span, mood, and overall impulse control. Creating a consistent bedtime routine that displays healthy sleep hygiene is a powerful tool to help overall attention spans.

6: Mindfulness is KEY: Training yourself to notice when your mind has wandered, and to return without scolding yourself, is the core skill of mindfulness. Studies are showing promising results in an individual’s overall attention span when training to improve mindfulness habits. Starting small with two-three-minute mindfulness skills is a good method to start. The goal is not an empty mind. The goal is practicing the return, as many times as you need to.

7: Get extra support when needed: Written checklists, calendars with reminders, and “body doubling” (working alongside another person, in person or virtually) can all reduce the load on your working memory. Body doubling is popular and often described as helpful, though formal research on it is still limited. Medication can also be effective for many people, and that decision belongs between you and your prescribing provider.

A Christian Psychology Perspective to ADHD and Low Attention Spans

As Christians, we can use science as a way to observe the depth and complexity of how God created us as individuals. When we look at an individual’s attention span, we can take a moment to acknowledge how different God created us as individuals.

It is important to remember that even if we struggle, we can go back to God’s truth!

1. You are not your distraction. Scripture affirms that every person is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14)
2. Struggle is not sin. Each of us will have our own set of challenges, but it is up to us to invite God into these challenges and to remind ourselves that my personal relationship with Christ is going to be unique to my life and His calling on my life.
3. Returning is itself a spiritual practice. Christ does not call us to be perfect. Instead, He is calling us to act with the pure intentions of our heart. Returning to focus your thoughts onto the Lord is a beautiful action of living out 2 Corinthians 10:5, calling us to take each thought captive.
4. You were made for community. Having people in your corner to support you and your needs is actually what the body is Christ is called to do! Let us bear one another’s burdens and find those who want to take the time to understand and support us (Galatians 6:2).

Practices can be reshaped to fit your brain. Spiritual disciplines were never meant to be one-size-fits-all. Consider:

• Shorter, more frequent prayer instead of one long session
• Praying while walking, or with your hands busy, such as knitting, drawing, or washing dishes
• Written prayer or journaling, which gives wandering thoughts somewhere to land
• Reading Scripture aloud or listening to an audio Bible while following along
• Using a single verse as an anchor. When your mind drifts, quietly return to a phrase like “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10)

Please know if you are struggling with a wandering mind, you do not need to change who you are in order to grow closer to the Lord. We each have our own obstacles and challenges, but Christ calls us to invite Him into our lives so He can help and support us. Take the time to sit with the Lord and create strategies and ways of living that honors the Lord and meets the needs of the unique brain He created!

And if you suspect ADHD, or if your struggles with focus are affecting your work, relationships, or peace of mind, please reach out to a qualified professional. Seeking help is an act of stewardship, not a lack of faith.

A Short Prayer

Lord, before we even speak you know what we are thinking, even if our brain feels scattered. Thank you for reminding me that there is no shame in how my brain works, and that you are openly inviting me to bring these questions of stewardship to your feet. Help me to create a way of worshiping you that is not only God-honoring but also works with my brain, not against it. Help me to find the people that you want to place in my corner to support me on this journey of growing closer to you. And every time my mind wonders, help remind me to take my thoughts captive in order to redirect my focus back to you. Amen

Christian Mental Health Book Recommendation

ADHD 2.0: New Science and Essential Strategies for Thriving with Distraction by Edward M. Hallowell, MD, and John J. Ratey, MD

Description: This book looks at ADHD through the lens of current brain science and emphasizes strengths as well as struggles. The authors offer practical strategies on connection, movement, and structure, written in an encouraging tone for adults who want to work with their wiring rather than against it.

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

by John Mark Comer

Description: A Christian pastor’s reflection on how constant busyness and distraction crowd out our relationship with God. While not an ADHD book, it offers a faith-centered framework for slowing down, simplifying, and making room for presence, which can be a helpful companion to the practical tools above.

The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction by Justin Whitmel Earley

Description: This book proposes a handful of simple daily and weekly habits, such as intentional phone boundaries, set times for prayer, and regular time with friends, to help people live with more purpose. Its small, concrete steps make it approachable for readers who feel overwhelmed by big life overhauls.

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Closing Thoughts

I hope today’s blog post was not only educational but also helped you draw closer to God. If you or someone you know struggling to find peace and want guidance, please connect with a therapist today! Check out TherapyforChristians.com to get connected with a faith-based provider in your area!

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Disclaimer

Educational and Spiritual Support Only: I am not your therapist. The information provided on this blog—including book recommendations, worksheets, biblical insights, coping skills, or any other content on this blog—is for  educational, informational, and spiritual encouragement purposes only. No Professional Relationship Interacting with this content, including leaving comments or sending direct messages, does not create a therapist-client relationship. This blog is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Seek Professional Help: Always seek the advice of your physician or a licensed mental health provider regarding any medical or psychological condition. Never disregard professional advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read here. If you are in a crisis, please contact your local emergency services or a crisis hotline you all have the best and most blessed day!

References

• Cerrillo-Urbina, A. J., et al. (2015). The effects of physical exercise in children with ADHD: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Child: Care, Health and Development.
• Franklin, M. S., et al. (2017). Tracking distraction: The relationship between mind-wandering, meta-awareness, and ADHD symptomatology. Journal of Attention Disorders.
• Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology.
• Hvolby, A. (2015). Associations of sleep disturbance with ADHD. ADHD Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorders.
• Safren, S. A., et al. (2010). Cognitive behavioral therapy for ADHD in medication-treated adults with continued symptoms. JAMA.
• Ward, A. F., et al. (2017). Brain drain: The mere presence of one’s own smartphone reduces available cognitive capacity. Journal of the Association for Consumer Research.
• Zylowska, L., et al. (2008). Mindfulness meditation training in adults and adolescents with ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders.