The “Deer in the Headlights” Response

I’ll admit it… I’m a serial multi-tasker, particularly in meetings, and especially in those that are conducted over conference call. Since I’m in a confessional mood, I’ll go one step further: I usually do a half-hearted job of each of the tasks on which I’m multiply focused. There are countless times where I’m “multi-tasking” during a meeting and I hear these dreaded words: “Jason, how does that sound to you?” Nine times out of ten I’ll wing it with “Sounds great!” just to avoid giving away my dirty secret. It takes a frantic IM to a fellow team member to figure out what I just agreed to. I see the same behavior in my colleagues; I know I’m not alone.

Since becoming a regular LessMeeting user, I take notes more frequently than I used to, which has in turn upped the amount of attention I pay in meetings. Even when I’m not taking notes, one of my co-workers often is. If I do happen to drift away, I can refer to the live notes to get the context of the discussion. As a result, I’m much more knowledgeable about what’s going on in my projects, and I’m not committing myself or my team without knowing what I’m doing.

LessMeeting has saved me from myself enough times that I am now a firm believer in the better meeting practices that it embodies.

What tools or techniques do you use to save you from yourself and improve your productivity?