by Silva Payne

Created on: June 16, 2009   Last Updated: June 20, 2010

If you work for a company that has meetings about meetings, then you will know how difficult it is to stay focused. The distractions and boredom that can set in after the first 20 minutes, or sooner if the subject of the meeting is not one you enjoy, can be detrimental not only to your own career prospects but also to your office and the company as a whole. Finding the right level of engagement is crucial to staying focused.

There are certain times of the day when office meetings are more productive, and the ratio of time to focus decreases through the day. As many people start their working day between 8 and 9am, scheduling a meeting for around 10am is ideal. It gives everyone the chance to organise their day's tasks and prepare for the meeting, and most people will be alert and awake.

Meetings that occur close to lunchtime may be as productive, but some attendees may feel rushed or that they start to become aware of how hungry they are. That is the point at which the level of attention starts to diminish. Meetings after lunch are likely to last longer than those before lunch, but the attention of the group may not be as sharp, particularly if the office or meeting room is warm. Towards the end of the day, people become reluctant to attend anything that may delay them leaving for home.

If you are chairing the meeting, be aware of the time and try to tailor your approach accordingly. Morning meetings can usually run without any breaks; afternoon meetings may need to be divided into two parts so that people can get up, stretch their legs and get some fresh air. Keep afternoon meetings as brief as possible with this in mind.

There is nothing more boring than a voice that drones on and on. If you want your attendees to stay focused during your office meeting, you need to introduce some variety into your delivery. Outline your points in brief to start with, then move through each one while inviting plenty of discussion and interaction with those present. If you think that you have a lot of points to make, consider producing a sheet for each attendee. Mention that you will be giving this out to everyone at the start, but do not give it out until the end of the meeting. This is to prevent attendees from feeling they can switch off for the rest of the meeting because you have given them all their notes already!

If you can include some visual aids to the meeting, people will not only retain an interest in what you are saying, but also remember the meeting afterwards.

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