Does your mind constantly wander when attending your daily online meetings?
With the amount of (sometimes unnecessary) meetings we go through in our work from home jobs, it’s understandably challenging to remain focused during all of them.
However, besides boredom or an uninteresting speaker, there is another reason we tend to zone out during virtual meetings. This is due to a phenomenon called the “Ringelmann Effect.”
Simply put, this effect refers to individuals putting less effort into a task when working as a group. Since you’re not physically meeting your team, you feel less inclined to listen and participate during the meeting.
Fortunately, there are ways to help you stop zoning out and contribute more during your online meetings. Here are some of them:
Know the Meeting’s Agenda -and What You Can Gain From It
A common reason people zone out during meetings is because they think the agenda doesn’t relate to them.
To counter this, know your meeting’s agenda in advance so you can prepare and make the most of it.
Doing so helps you listen attentively during online meetings and participate more actively in the discussion.
Practice Note-Taking During the Meeting
Another tip to help you stop zoning out is to start taking notes during online meetings.
Studies show that doing so, especially with pen and paper, helps keep your mind engaged with processing, analyzing, and organizing information.
Additionally, taking notes during the meeting’s discussions helps you figure out how to contribute to the topic as you go along.
Pay Attention to Prior Statements
Jumping into conversations without knowing or acknowledging what others have previously said leads to confusion.
To avoid this, reiterate a relevant point someone has brought up before moving to a different point.
Doing so helps keep the conversation’s momentum going and also shows that you are paying attention.
Engage in Active Listening
One factor why employees get bored during Zoom meetings is because they’re not listening well. Most attend with their cameras off, so they check their emails, work on other things, or browse through social media.
The key to effective listening is giving your full attention to whoever is speaking. This is called active listening.
This involves keeping your camera open so you can see each other’s faces and spot any nonverbal cues the others show.
Additionally, you can show you’re listening to the speaker by nodding or simply saying yes/no whenever they ask a question.
Minimize Distractions
The most common distraction for many remote workers is their phones.
Put your phone on silent mode and at a distance so you won’t be tempted to use it. If you miss a call or notification, you can always say that you were in a meeting.
Additionally, notify your family about your meetings so they won’t accidentally interrupt you during these times.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions
If you zone out, the best way to recover is by clarifying a topic you’re confused about.
Not only will this enable you to catch up, but it can also help your other co-workers who might be lost.
Take a Quick Break Between Meetings
Attending several meetings in one day takes a toll on your ability to focus.
That’s why it helps to take a 5-minute break between each meeting. Use this time to stretch, grab a quick bite, and get some fresh air before your next one. Doing so refreshes the mind so you can stop zoning out on your next online meetings.
Hey, You Still With Me?
Remaining focused during online meetings can be a chore, especially if you don’t play a vital role in them.
However, we owe it to ourselves and our team to be fully present and to contribute meaningfully regardless.
After all, it’s one of the main ways to stay updated with your team and interact with them in an online work from home setup.
With the tips above, you can stop zoning out and contribute more during online meetings.
Ready to apply these lessons in an online job, but don’t know where to start looking?
Worry not. Remote Staff is here to help.
Our jobs list contains plenty of available positions for you to choose from. Choose from online transcription jobs, online design jobs, and even online engineering and architecture jobs.
So, what are you waiting for? Sign up here. Good luck!
