Staying with it in meetings

Short answer

Meetings ask you to sit still, listen to talk that is not always relevant and wait your turn, which is hard for many people. NIMH lists interrupting in meetings and feeling restless when expected to stay seated among ADHD signs, though everyone drifts in long meetings. Preparing a purpose, taking notes by hand and asking for written follow-ups are general strategies.

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Ten minutes in, the speaker is on slide fourteen, and you realize you have no idea what slides six through thirteen said. Or you have a great idea, blurt it out mid-sentence, and catch a colleague's look. Meetings are where attention lapses become public.

Before the meeting

Write one line about why you are attending: the decision, update or question that matters to you.
Skim the agenda, if there is one, and mark the item where you need to pay closest attention.
If you know you will want to speak, jot your point down in advance so you are not holding it in your head the whole time.
For long meetings, decide in advance whether you will take a short break and when.

During the meeting

These are general workplace habits, not a treatment. Some will suit your job and some will not.

Take notes, ideally by hand or in a single document, even if someone else is officially taking minutes. Writing keeps you in the room.
Keep a "parking lot" corner on the page for ideas that pop up, so you can capture them without interrupting.
If your hands need to move, a quiet fidget, a pen or standing at the back can help without distracting others.
On video calls, close other tabs and put your phone out of reach. Turning your camera on, if that is acceptable, can make drifting less tempting.
If you lose the thread, it is fine to say "Can you recap the decision so far?" Others are often grateful someone asked.

After the meeting

Most of what meetings produce is action items, and those are easy to lose on the walk back to your desk. Before you open anything else, take two minutes to write down what you agreed to do and when, and put deadlines in your calendar. If no one sends a written summary, offering to send one yourself is a quiet way to make sure you have it.

A hypothetical example

For example, someone might notice that they interrupt most in meetings where they feel strongly. They start writing their point down as soon as it occurs to them and raising a hand when there is a pause. The idea is still heard, and they spend less energy holding it in.

Video calls bring their own traps

Online meetings remove the social cues that keep many people focused, and the rest of the internet is one click away. Some people find it helps to keep the meeting window full screen, write notes in a paper notebook rather than another tab, and stand or stretch between calls. If back-to-back calls fill your day, ask whether some could end five minutes early to leave room for writing down actions.

Things to notice

Which meetings do I drift in, and which ones hold my attention? What is different?
How do I usually find out what was decided if I lost track?
Has anyone given me feedback about interrupting or seeming distracted?

If meetings are a regular problem

If trouble staying focused in meetings is affecting your performance reviews, your relationships with colleagues or your confidence, and it is part of a wider pattern, it may be worth talking to a healthcare provider. Bring examples, including when it started and whether it happens outside work too.

A starting point for your next step.

Curious whether meeting struggles are part of a broader pattern? Take the free six-question adult screener in a few minutes.

Frequently asked questions

Is zoning out in meetings normal?

Yes, for many people, especially in long or loosely relevant meetings. It becomes worth looking at if it happens across many settings, has gone on for a long time and causes real problems.

How can I stop interrupting people?

Writing your thought down the moment it arrives often helps, because you no longer need to hold it. A small signal, like raising a hand, gives you a turn without cutting in.

Can I ask for written summaries at work?

Many workplaces are happy to provide them. In the UK, the NHS lists written instructions as one kind of reasonable adjustment adults can request.

Sources

Source check: 2026-10-28. No medical review has occurred.

Published 2026-10-28. Factual source check: ADHDFalcon editorial team, factual source check, 2026-10-28. No medical review has occurred.