by Matt Bird

Created on: June 13, 2009

Oh no, the dreaded office meeting. Try as you might, poor workers, you're going to end up dragged into at least one of these in your career, if not dozens upon dozens.

You'd think they might not be such a bad thing, really. I mean, they're updating everybody on important events in the company. Right? Well, sadly, not always. Plenty of meetings don't have a ton of relevance to everybody, and so they're probably left asking themselves, "What's the point?"

Who knows, there might be one hidden in the drivel. But you won't find it if you're not paying attention. So to aid in your quest for continued conscious thought here are a few tips to keep you on the ball during a meeting so you won't lose track of what's going on.

1.) Look into the speaker's eyes at all time. Don't allow your gaze to waver in any way. If you're looking right at them then chances are good you're paying attention to them. And if your eyes start to glaze over and drift, blink a few times, shake your head and go right back to listening.

2.) Take notes. Lots and lots and lots of notes. Even if what you're writing down isn't of any relevance to you whatsoever, you'll manage to retain the juicy stuff that actually matters. You'll also look like a dutiful worker, and your co-workers will be grateful for your paper synopsis after the fact (since, y'know, the rest of them fell asleep).

3.) Ask questions. Every now and then come up with queries regarding what they're talking about and hoist your hand aloft to keep on track of things. Just make sure they're not too long winded so you don't end up prolonging the meeting for too long. Make sure they're relevant, as well - the speaker may just get irritated with you otherwise.

4.) Chew gum or get something to eat or drink. Any of these things will keep your brain functioning to the point where you can pay at least partial attention to the speaker at the meeting.

5.) Prep yourself beforehand. Know at least some of the material that will be presented. I find I'm generally more interested about what's being said if I have some partial knowledge of it.

6.) This one might be a little controversial, but I bet it works wonders. Before the meeting, get a thumb tack and tape or glue it to whatever desk you're sitting at. Attach it to the desk so it lines up with roughly the top of your belly. Next, attack one to your chair so it'll make contact with your shoulder blades. Then sit up straight in the meeting and face forward, with only your head turned towards the speaker. If at any time you start to slump forward or backwards you'll receive a nice little reminder that you're not there to drift into unconciousness. (Remember to remove the tacks after the meeting.)

That last one aside, perhaps, the rest should work wonders to improving your attention span and keep your eyes on the ball at any office meeting, no matter how long it is.

Learn more about this author, Matt Bird.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.