Picture this: You're slouched in a meeting, supposedly paying attention, but your mind has wandered off, churning out various to-do lists, thinking of the weekend, remembering that delicious lunch you just ate...

Suddenly, everyone is looking your way, waiting for an answer—but you're staring blankly, bumbling to come up with a semi-coherent response.

There's no hiding it: Your mind had wandered, and now you don't know what to say. How can you avoid this full-belly, boring-meeting, to-do-list-making situation in the future?

Here's a starting point: An infographic by personal lender On Stride Financial offers nine ways to focus a wandering mind. 

The graphic starts with an explanation of why our brains wander (you can't help it—it's science!). Then it lists nine simple steps you can do in the office, and even during a meeting, to stay focused.

If you've made it this far in the article without your mind wandering off, check out the infographic: