It's normal to get distracted and loose focus during chanting. It requires practice, with practice you will improve. When the mind keeps wandering while chanting,

It's normal to get distracted and loose focus during chanting. It requires practice, with practice you will improve. When the mind keeps wandering while chanting, it is beneficial to chant aloud for some time or play a recording of the chant. Once other thoughts reduce and we achieve some concentration, we can continue chanting mentally. Focus on the sound of the holy names. It doesn't matter what crazy ideas the mind comes up with. Our concern is just to hear the sound vibration of every syllable of the mantra. When we notice that we're paying attention to the mind and not the mantra, then we bring the mind back to the mantra.

Chant early morning on waking up. Or before going to bed. Since there is less activity of the mind about mundane things upon waking up and before going to bed, it is easier to achieve concentration at these times.‪ It's important to always try to control the mind by hearing the sound of the mantra attentively. In the course of time, you will improve at it. As long as you are chanting, you should be hearing. Then you won't have time to meditate on the distracting thoughts of the mind and you will become purified by hearing the mantra.

First, make a determination to do nothing else except focus on the mantra. Don't lament about the past or dream about the future, just listen to the sound of the mantra. Set a fixed number of rounds to chant and then gradually increase. As you chant more, your thoughts will gradually reduce. This means that practice is one simple way to increase concentration. The more you practice chanting, the more concentration you will be able to achieve.

Once you improve your concentration while you chant, you can experience more Bliss (Ānand). It also strengthens the impression of chanting in subconscious mind, and one gains more protection from God when you chant with concentration. However, even when you are unable to chant with concentration, it is important to persevere with chanting. Don't worry about the beads, Don’t worry if your pronunciation isn’t perfect in the beginning. Or you loose focus, it’s what’s in your heart that is most important. Right feeling, attitude and pure devotion is more important. 📿🕉✨
Shivoham Shivoham 🙏🏻🙏🏻