TED Talks Daily All it takes is 10 mindful minutes | Andy Puddicombe (re-release)
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May 8, 2026 
Andy Puddicombe, former Buddhist monk and Headspace co-founder, shares a simple practice: spend 10 minutes doing nothing and be present. He discusses how modern life distracts us, why the mind needs care, and how meditation trains attention. Short, practical, and surprising insights about focus, balance, and watching thoughts without judgment.
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Daily Ten Minutes Of Doing Nothing
- Do take 10 minutes of uninterrupted nothing each day to refresh your mind and increase present-moment awareness.
- Andy Puddicombe defines “nothing” as no devices, no reading, no planning, and not reminiscing or future-thinking.
Becoming A Monk After A Life Crisis
- Andy Puddicombe became a monk after personal crises in his twenties to learn how to cope with overwhelming thoughts and emotions.
- He left university, moved to the Himalayas, adopted celibacy, and studied meditation intensively as a coping strategy.
Mind Wandering Is Half Our Lives
- Mind-wandering occupies roughly 47% of our time and is directly linked to unhappiness according to Harvard research Andy cites.
- Spending nearly half life lost in thought is avoidable because mindfulness offers a preventive, not just reactive, benefit.