ADHD and Meetings: Tips on How to Stay Engaged During Meetings

Estimated reading time: 14 minutes

Key Takeaways

• • Understanding ADHD’s impact on work can help tailor strategies for better focus and productivity during meetings.
• • Preparing in advance and breaking down information into manageable chunks can reduce overwhelm and improve engagement in discussions.
• • Incorporating technology, visual aids, and flexible approaches can enhance meeting experiences for individuals with ADHD.

Struggling with ADHD and meetings? You’re not alone. Traditional work environments have not always been friendly to the needs of the neurodivergent brain. Whether you need to be moving, need additional structure to stay focused, or simply have too many meetings to manage.

We’re here to highlight practical tips and strategies to help you navigate your ADHD so you can better engage and enhance your focus and productivity. Learn how preparation, visual aids, and physical movement can transform the meeting experience.

Understanding ADHD in the Workplace

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can significantly impact workplace performance and productivity. Those of us with adult ADHD often struggle to maintain concentration in work environments, leading to lost productivity and missed responsibilities. Keeping an orderly workspace can be another hurdle, as organizational challenges are also a commonly stated concern.

Restlessness is a frequent companion for ADHD individuals, making it difficult to remain still or focused during extended periods. Restlessness can often be linked to a lack of intrinsic motivators as described by our neurodivergent motivation model. Meaning, restlessness can often occur due to a lack of personal relevance, personal impact, interest in the content and autonomy (having little say in a meeting). These are all elements that aid in engaging our brains to a more deliberate state of focus and flow. 

ADHD often gets diagnosed because of its impact in our daily lives – when we’re not fully able to engage in a meeting – our attempts to regulate ourselves then show up as restlessness, hyperactivity (brain speeding up to fill in the gaps), distraction (feeling the need to multi-task), impulsivity (can’t sit still or interrupting presenters), and even inattention causing us to miss assigned tasks, decisions made, or other pertinent details. Other obstacles can include sensitivity to criticism (rejection sensitivity dysphoria), as it can hinder our ability to process feedback effectively and grow within our roles. 

As we recognize these things, however, we can begin to create strategies to better understand how to best self-regulate in meeting environments. For many of us, remote work is beneficial for because we can take the steps we need to regulate either with the camera off or off the view of the camera.

When we’re able to meet our individual needs, we can improve our effectiveness in meetings and even better support the meeting progression overall. By understanding these challenges, we can start to develop strategies to better regulate our brains and our bodies with the goal of, ultimately, improving our workplace experience.

How to Prepare for Meetings with AHD

Preparation is key to success, especially for those of us with ADHD. Preparation can look different depending on your job role, your role in the meeting, and even due to the time of day. One of the very first steps you take to prepare for a meeting is to review the agenda and any meeting materials in advance.

This helps us get a sense of the discussion topics and identify areas of interest, which can make the meeting feel less overwhelming. It can also guide decisions on what tools or support we might need to get through the meeting, allow us additional time to process and develop any questions or concerns, and to ask for any accommodations if needed ahead of time.

ADHD Inclusion Starts with Meeting Agendas

Proper meeting preparation can’t happen without access to the right information in order to do so. One of the most fundamental components to creating inclusive meetings, supporting neurodivergent employees (including those with ADHD and Autism), is to incorporate agendas with all meeting invites.

It’s important for workplaces to create this as an expectation for meeting invites and for leaders to set the standard. Even if the agenda is as simple as a bullet point itemized list, it creates a framework for individuals to grasp on to mentally plan, prepare, and be ready to engage in meeting environments.

Related Blog: Addressing ADHD Challenges in the Workplace

More Effective Strategies to Keeping Meetings on Time and On Track

Another effective strategy is to keep meetings brief and focused (agendas help with this!). When meetings are concise and to the point, it becomes easier to maintain attention and remain engaged – not only this, but meetings are time-consuming, involve a mental cost to context switching, and are expensive to run for the organization. Taking a few extra minutes to be deliberate about the meeting goals, agenda, and time is a win for everyone.

Take Shorter, More Frequent Breaks to Keep Long Meetings Focused

For the meetings that need to be long? It’s important to bake in short breaks during the meetings as they can help with staying focused and prevent fatigue. For ADHD, shorter and more frequent breaks earlier on can be effective.

Did You Know: Approximately 75% or more of individuals tend to lose focus during meetings, highlighting a common drop in attention span during typical discussions.

Including these strategies sets us up for success even before the meeting starts. It’s all about creating an environment that supports our needs and helps us stay on track. These minor adjustments can significantly boost our productivity and engagement.

Break Up Meeting Content into Smaller, Manageable Content Groups

Once the meeting starts, it’s crucial to manage the flow of information to prevent feeling overwhelmed. Breaking down meeting content into smaller chunks makes it less overwhelming and easier to process and retain information. This approach allows us to focus on one section at a time, improving comprehension and retention of the material discussed.

Did You Know: Around 71% of professionals find meetings unproductive and boring.

Dividing meeting topics into smaller, manageable segments can also lessen feelings of being overwhelmed. Simplifying information into bite-sized segments aids in comprehension and retention for those of us with attention challenges. Structured formats in meetings can help us better follow discussions and stay engaged.

Send the Meeting Agenda When You Send the Invite

Enabling the people you work with to best manage their meetings requires being deliberate about those agendas. For those of us with ADHD, sending out meeting agendas can become plagued by procrastination. This can result in last minute preparation, sending out agendas too late, and even a lack of processing time to prepare for the meeting.

Details and content can even be forgotten if details aren’t included when the invite goes out. Sending this out while the reasons for the meeting are fresh, top of mind, gives everyone time to look ahead and address concerns as they come up. 

Making Meetings More Engaging with ADHD

Utilizing Visual Aids

Not only can visual aids enhance engagement and interest for individuals, but using visuals such as powerpoints, whiteboards, and handouts are all part of an inclusive work environment. These documents can give individuals another way to focus and another way to process information that goes beyond only auditory processing, allowing them to engage more fully and with more senses into the content. Overall, this becomes better for retention as well.

Types of aids can include charts and graphs, powerpoints, bullet point content, and more. Even presenting the agenda in a visual way can support focus during the meeting. Interactive technology tools such as whiteboards and collaboration tools like Leantime during remote meetings can also make discussions more engaging, allowing for real-time participation.

Encouraging Physical Movement

Promoting physical activity and allowing fidgeting can help individuals with ADHD stay focused during discussions. Movement can help maintain focus and prevent mental restlessness. Incorporating physical movement like fidgeting or stretching can help us maintain focus in long meetings.

Movement during breaks releases stress-reducing chemicals, calms restlessness, and helps focus. If we are unable to control the meeting schedule, doing exercises or stretches before the meeting can also help.

Use a Fidget Toy

Fidgeting should not be discouraged, as it aids focus for individuals with ADHD. A small, discreet fidget toy can help us stay focused by giving our hands something to do without distracting others. These toys can enhance focus, prevent distracting behavior, and help calm anxiety.

Using a fidget toy during our meetings keeps us engaged and productive. It’s a simple yet effective tool that can greatly enhance our focus and participation. In fact, one of our founders here at Leantime recently learned about locks, keys, and deadbolt settings. He now keeps a lock picking set at his keyboard and uses it to fidget while working. This combines automatic physical movement and enables him to stay more engaged with different areas of his brain.

Interactive Participation

Taking part in interactive participation helps maintain focus during meetings. Requesting opportunities for discussion and questions can motivate us to contribute and stay involved. Interactive visual aids, such as slideshows that invite audience participation, can hold our interest during presentations.

Interacting with colleagues post-meeting can provide additional insights and clarify any misunderstandings. Asking for a summary of missed discussions can help clarify important points that were not captured initially. Actively participating and seeking constructive feedback helps us stay informed and engaged.

Break Tasks into Smaller Goals

Breaking tasks into smaller goals can make long meetings feel more manageable. If the meeting has multiple topics, mentally breaking it into sections and focusing on each topic individually can help complete tasks and manage routine tasks. This strategy can make the meeting feel less overwhelming and more structured. Our brain will thank you.

If we have questions or concerns, making notes beforehand for each topic allows us to ask for clarification. Following tips and strategies helps improve job performance and maintain focus during meetings, even on complex projects.

Limit Multitasking

Whether in-office meetings or working from home, limiting multitasking is crucial for maintaining focus. In the office, avoid side conversations or unnecessary tasks, and when working from home, close unnecessary tabs, silence your phone and minimize distractions in your workspace. Focusing solely on the meeting, regardless of location, helps you stay attentive, engaged, and productive.

Note-Taking: With Automation or Without

Automating note-taking can reduce cognitive burden, allowing us to focus more on the discussion rather than on capturing details. Writing down key points can help maintain focus, retain information, and provide a reference for later. Note-taking apps and software can greatly improve organization and concentration for individuals with ADHD.

Automating notetaking is now a common feature for platforms like Zoom, where remote meetings are often conducted. Many of these platforms are now using AI to summarize meeting content and to pull out agenda items. 

While automated meeting notes can be helpful, it can also end up being more noise in our day that we forget to go back and follow up on. This can be where manually taking notes can become beneficial as it requires a deliberate focus and, whether on paper or in an app, can create additional muscle memory for the items in the actual meeting. If you’re a doodler, though, note-taking can quickly shift from notes to distracted doodling.

This is where minimalist note-taking apps can offer distraction-free environments ideal for ADHD individuals. Leantime.io’s note-taking feature is intended to allow you to either link your meeting notes through Documents directly to a project or allow you to create personal notes specific to your individual work.

Either approach allows you to keep information where you organize the work, ultimately decreasing cognitive load and the load of context switching – both high risk events that are known to derail ADHD productivity.

Leantime is also built focused on neurodivergent thinking and by neurodivergent founders; using the motivation model mentioned earlier. Using tools built specifically for ADHD can help us better manage our notes and stay focused during meetings. 

Tip: Even if you use a note-taking app, it’s helpful to write down key points to stay focused and remember important details later.

Handling Missed Information or Uncertainty

Uncertainty can be challenging to navigate in a meeting environment and uncertainty creates additional cognitive load, potentially even making it more difficult to start on tasks when the requirements are unclear. When requirements are unclear, you end up with additional hurdles to even get started… so where you have a task list of 5 items, you may have to add another 5 to clarify the content. 

Making sure to address missed information right away is important to avoid overlooking key details. Asking for a recap, seeking clarification, or reviewing meeting minutes can help us fully understand what was discussed. While these should be standard approaches to meetings, there are times when it will be important to prompt and advocate for clarity. These steps can help us stay informed, even if we miss something during the meeting.

Promptly communicating our need for clarification ensures we don’t miss any critical points. This proactive approach helps us stay on top of our tasks and responsibilities.

Leveraging Technology to Support ADHD at Work

Leveraging technology can significantly assist individuals with ADHD. Task management applications help us break tasks into smaller steps and set reminders, aiding in improving focus. Time management techniques such as the Pomodoro Technique can help enhance our focus and structure work intervals.

Habit-tracking applications can gamify the process of building routines, making it easier to stay consistent. Collaboration tools like Slack and Zoom enhance communication and teamwork, making it easier for us to stay engaged during meetings. As previously highlighted, utilizing note-taking applications and establishing boundaries to minimize distractions can significantly boost focus and productivity.

Utilizing the right technology and following these tips enhances our ability to stay focused and productive during meetings. Leantime.io is a great tool for individuals with ADHD, providing project management features that support our unique needs.

Conclusion

Managing ADHD in the workplace, especially during meetings, can feel overwhelming. However, with the right strategies, we can improve our focus, stay productive, and make meetings more bearable. From preparing in advance and utilizing visual aids to encouraging physical movement and leveraging technology, these tips can make a significant difference in our daily work life.

Embracing these strategies and tools enables us to create a more supportive and productive work environment. Remember, it’s all about finding what works best for you and continuously adapting to meet your needs. We hope these tips help you navigate your next meeting with confidence and ease.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other content that you may be interested in:

• Organizing Projects with ADHD: Tips and Tricks to Increase Productivity
• Using Project management just for productivity? You’re missing other benefits.
• Open source tools for running a consulting business
• Top Task Management Tools & Tips for ADHD