Making it through some meetings is challenging, especially if they frequently go off the rails. Having ADHD, a couple of things bother me about meetings. The first is when the meeting organizer doesn’t bring the focus back on the topic if the participants go off-topic. My second frustration is multiple meetings in a day. Having six meetings in a day isn’t productive, as it takes me a bit to refocus on tasks.
Here are some things I like to remember when I create meetings since I know how my brain works. Some of these are pretty obvious and are standard meeting etiquette, but they are important because they can help if you have ADHD or if you work with someone who has ADHD.
Use Agendas. Walking into a meeting with only the subject line of the meeting invite isn’t helpful. Organizing my thoughts coherently can take a bit, and it helps to have an agenda. This way, I can gather my thoughts before the meeting and know how much time is allotted for discussion.
Being Present. Things always come up that cause us to be late for meetings. When a meeting starts and someone shows up 15-20 minutes late, it can be a distraction. Time management can be challenging for those with ADHD, so I always try to be early. I usually put a few reminders in my calendar so that this happens.
Stay on topic. I know brainstorming is important, but sometimes it leads to off-topic discussions. Ensuring someone is designated to keep the conversation on track is an excellent way to deal with this issue. It is important to capture the ideas in a visible area, like a whiteboard. Not only does this identify future areas for discussion, but it also acknowledges the participants’ views.
Provide Handouts or Visuals. Please, please do this for your meetings. Sitting through a meeting with no handouts or other visuals is a challenge. This causes thoughts to wander or people to fall asleep (I have seen it). The increase in virtual meetings makes providing visuals easier.
Time Management. For me, the shorter the meeting, the better. As long as everything that needs to be discussed is completed. When I lead meetings, I am known as the person that holds the shortest meetings. This is because I enter the meeting aware of what the outcome needs to be or what information I need to gather. Typically this information can usually be collected within the first 15-30 minutes of a meeting. The ideal situation is if a phone call, text message, or virtual chat can answer a question. Time is essential, and so are ways to save it.
Doodling is Okay. Some people get annoyed when they notice meeting attendees doodling. This doesn’t bother me. Doodling doesn’t necessarily mean that a person isn’t paying attention. Sometimes doodling helps them focus. This has been a lifelong habit for me. While at university, I took notes. During meetings, I do the same. Attending training, I usually doodle. For me to truly listen, I have to keep my hands busy.
Again, lots of this is well known, but it is important to remember that these things are not only general guidelines. These tips help those of us who require some time to focus or stimuli to stay focused. Hopefully, some of this information helps or makes you consider a new meeting approach. Thanks for reading.