I currently know about two styles of meditation that seem different to me:

• following the breath, and trying to remove all other thoughts
• observing thoughts, as if from afar, without becoming involved with them

I've been trying the technique of following the breath, and I can do it fairly well for 5 minutes, but it is somehow frustrating to me.

Today I spent my 5 minutes observing thoughts as if from afar, and this felt more productive.

Of course, maybe meditation is meant to feel frustrating and unproductive.

However, when my uncle suggested that I run for exercise (which he often does), and I retorted that I find running boring, he suggested that I meditate as I run, in the "following the breath and removing thoughts style", which sounds like a good thing to try — if I'm going to be frustrated following my breath and trying not to think, why not increase that frustration by also physically exerting myself?