One activity that takes a great deal of energy and focus for me is meetings. Meetings can be extraordinarily informative and helpful in building shared understanding within teams. So, of course, you want to be fully engaged in the conversation. I want to share with you a tactic that I have consistently used in office meetings and have since found is even more helpful in the WFH environment, regardless of the type of conversation. It's not earth-shattering, but it is a lifesaver for me.
3 Reasons Micro Notes can be lifesavers if you have ADD
I specifically use sticky notes for all my meeting notes. They are not big enough for too many words. They don't draw a lot of attention, and I can arrange them. Here is why that matters in meetings.
1. You won't interrupt as often as you used to
When I take notes of conversations, I'm not writing these notes like study notes from school. I am just writing what I hear people saying. Big ideas or statements that seem essential. I find these notes help the same way doodling may have enabled you to concentrate in school. BUT there is a great benefit. You won't forget what someone said and you can write down that question that pops in your head, even draw a star next to it if you want. Then you can let the idea go and know you can come back at the appropriate time and ask if it still makes sense. This way, you are giving your brain a way to release the thought or question while not interrupting. It also gives you a moment to think about the validity of that question or comment. Lastly, it lets you listen to someone else wholly without the mental gymnastics of trying to listen while also holding a question in your head. This brings me to the second advantage of this style of note-taking: concentration.
2. You can concentrate more successfully
Concentration is where the size of the post-its shines. Small notes and big ideas keep you listening to what people are saying at the moment. If you are trying to write everything someone says, you may fall behind and then lose track. Remember this note-taking is for concentration not necessarily for later recall, although that is possible. I often have notes that stop midstream.
3. You will ask better questions
As you practice this micro note-taking technique, you will find that, when someone has finished speaking, you can ask specific questions that are meaningful, as you have all the information you need right in front of you. It's also a helpful tool for clarifying what someone has said.
When you work from home, and you're not in the room with the people you're talking to, the distractions are doubled or maybe tripled depending on your environment. This mini note technique works wonderfully. It keeps you focused on the conversation, slightly distracted and engaged through the act of writing, and ready to give valid input if needed.
Be Careful!
Nothing is a cure-all. There are downsides to this method. The biggest is the distraction that you may be to those around you. Make sure that you are continuing to make eye contact and not checked-out of the meeting. The whole purpose is to help you concentrate, so whatever variation you come up with is all good.
I used to doodle far more often than I do now in meetings. These micro notes take the place of those doodles. I have found it far more beneficial, but I still doodle from time to time if it's not too distracting. Again, the goal is the absorption of information and feedback to the group. So if a doodle is going to make that happen, doodle away.
Pro-Tip
When your meeting is over, and you feel like it was productive and that you have great micro notes. Take out your phone and snap a picture of them for later.
As a UX designer these techniques are often used in customer interviews and you may find that this works in all kinds of situations where you need to listen and react.
I would love to hear your personal stories and tips for ADD workarounds below.