What science-backed strategies can help me focus during long meetings at work?

I totally get it, meetings can be tough to stay focused in, especially when there are a lot of people or one dominant talker. I've found that the underlying reason for my distraction often has to do with my brain's tendency to seek novelty, so I try to engage my brain in more active ways during meetings.

One strategy that's helped me is to use the Pomodoro Technique: I set a timer for 25 minutes and focus solely on the meeting for that entire time. When the timer goes off, I take a 5-minute break to stretch, grab a snack, or do something else that gets me moving. This helps me stay focused and avoid burnout. Another technique is called the "2-minute rule": whenever someone starts talking, I give them 2 minutes to get their point across before I start thinking about what I need to do next. This helps me stay engaged and avoid mind-wandering.

I've also found that certain tools can be super helpful in noisy environments. For example, I use a browser extension called Freedom that blocks distracting websites and apps on my computer, so I'm not tempted to check social media or email during meetings. I've also used apps like Focus@Will, which provides background music specifically designed to help you concentrate. As for taking notes, I personally prefer typing on my laptop, but I've heard that writing notes by hand can be really effective for some people - it's just a matter of finding what works best for you!

Lastly, I'd recommend checking out some research on "attention restoration theory," which suggests that taking short breaks to look out the window or engage in some other low-level activity can actually help you stay focused later on. Maybe try incorporating some of these strategies into your next meeting and see what works best for you!