How To Not Fall Asleep At Meetings: A Comprehensive Guide

Molly Schneider is a meeting snoozer. She works as a marketing researcher at a major PR firm in Miami.

She’s an active lady, regularly runs half marathons, volunteers at an animal shelter, and goes on weekend hikes and trips with her friends. It’s hard to believe that someone like her – funny, smart, and engaging can barely keep her eyes open in a conference room. At her job, she typically spends half the day at her desk and the other half in meetings listening to presentations. She’s been to sleep specialists, psychologists, meditation retreats, and once drank a 16-oz espresso, but nothing’s helped. Apparently, Molly isn’t alone. Many office workers suffer from meeting-naps or “shoulder drooling sessions” as Molly has appropriately called her bouts of slumber. We at Turnkey Office Space have compiled a list of some great tips that will keep you awake during that lecture or meeting.

The Presentation Voice. Does your facilitator sound like Ben Stein or Gilbert Gottfried? Narelle Lee, founder of Performance Masters, says, “The tonality of presenters contributes (to worker engagement) as there are certain monotone delivery styles that are hypnotic and this easily induces sleep.” Have HR reach out to a cheap talent agency and get a trained baritone or tenor to sing data reports and marketing objectives to the group.

Temperature Change. Setting the thermostat to 72°F can be just warm enough to lull us to sleep. Blazing heat will make workers uncomfortable and distracted. Install a couple of extra AC units in your conference room and turn them up full blast during a meeting. Tell workers that they’re not allowed to wear extra layers during the presentation. Keeping the room around 44°F is guaranteed to keep employees cold enough so that they’re alert and paying attention, but not so cold that their skin is turning blue.

Aromatherapy. According to Tucker Cummings at Lifehack, “one simple life hack that can bring about an almost instant improvement in productivity is aromatherapy. By simply smelling the correct scents, you can lower your blood pressure, sharpen your mind, and improve your outlook on life.” Cummings recommends natural scents like orange, rosemary, and lemon as “energizing and invigorating” scents. We at TurnKey Office Space, on the other hand, suggest keeping a collection of communal diffusers filled with gasoline, skunk spray, and permanent marker ink. A deep whiff of any of these during or before a meeting will most likely light your smell receptors on fire and increase brain productivity to the zillionth power.