Office nerds nod monotonously, the speaker sounds lethargic, your mind is wandering and everything else seems static; boring meetings classified.
Paying attention is demanding but with tedious office meetings, it gets even more challenging.
Tossing virtual paper balls or throwing angry birds in your phone are “smart” ways to stay awake at meetings. But what if your boss suddenly wants your opinion about something when clearly you gave all your ears to the sounds on your phone?
Embarrassing. What now?
Don’t sweat just yet. There are smarter and surely more productive ways to survive and thrive in these meetings. But before that, put your phones to silent mode.
Doodle smartly: Doodling away during lectures and meetings is an age-old getaway from boredom. If you are a keen doodler, use it to stay attentive. Show your creativity in capturing the topics being discussed in meetings through your drawings. Discussing sales? Make caricatures of the sales targets. Bonus points for flattering images.
Check out the speaker: Paying attention is a faking game really. If you are taking notes, put your head up from time to time to reorient your attention to the speaker. This gives a feeling that you are actually listening. Examine the individual’s facial features with scrutiny and let yourself be lost in the tiny details.
Take active notes: Instead of taking notes in a passive tone, use the active tone.
“Salma will look after the maintenance work on Tuesday” sounds boring whereas, “Next Tuesday: Get updates from Salma about maintenance work” sounds more action-oriented.
This will keep you engaged with the events that will follow. List down the things discussed at the end of each meeting and get a follow-up.