Attention Span and Work

[Icenii]

Was at an all-day work meeting yesterday and I find these absolutely exhausting. I feel different from the other people there (they are all male), but I feel like I just don't have the ideas they have, or I don't understand why they discuss certain things when I think it is unnecessary.

After a couple of hours, I really struggle with understanding what they are saying. I hear their words but it takes a huge amount of concentration to actively listen and understand their point. If it was written down I'd be fine. And then I don't feel like I can contribute. If there is more than one conversation, I can't concentrate on any of it.

But I managed to get to a fairly senior position, and now I think I can't do the role.

Anyone else feel like this?

are you menopausal or peri-menopausal? This is a classic symptom and often why women leave senior roles around that age.

I'm 44 and was sweating lots too!!

Then I'd say that's potentially it! I'm 45 and the last couple of years I was starting to think I'd developed ADHD or something i'd got so bad at concentrating. Then I wondered if maybe it was a lockdown boredom / cabin fever type thing but the more I read, the more I suspect it's an age thing.

Could be peri? Or they could all just be absolutely boring as hell and you tune out.

I have been doing the online ADHD tests as thought maybe I had that. One of my colleagues want to talk about yesterday and I am convinced it will be my lack of contribution.

It doesn't sound like the day was well planned.

I'd question your assumptions that the contributions of your colleagues were valuable, before assuming that you were the one who wasn't keeping up.

I attended a trustees meeting as secretary recently, and there was a lot of back-patting about various successes. Except I sat there schtum knowing that all they were saying was absolute gumph, and they're driving the organisation off a cliff. (not a matter of my opinion - they just literally thought some things were successes when the actual legal or factual position is totally different, and nobody knew better).

In my experience a lot of senior execs can nod things through or scratching each other's backs, and it's actually those questioning the principles who are the smart minds in the room.

As per my post above, please do raise your questions or doubts about the format or value of the meeting if this happens, rather than just accepting that this is an issue with you.

Everyone else seemed to find it beneficial. I'm the outliner and clearly the only one that struggled with paying attention.

I will suggest upfront work with clear outputs, split across two days etc. So people can prepare.

Are you sure it's you? I find lots of men in senior positions talk a lot with the relevant words but don't actually say very much.

Also this!
A lot.
blah blah blah look at me i am so important.

I remember reading that meetings where there are a number of people in an enclosed room for a length of time can literally use up the oxygen out of the air, it explains why I find them (and training days) so tiring.