You Should Never Do These Six Things During a Meeting

Even though there's not a single one of us that is truly fond of being part of a meeting, we want to make sure that we realize that it's going to always be a part of our corporate lives. Sources say that high-level executives spend half of their work time in a conference room. I know when I used to work in the corporate world, it always seemed like the higher ups were spending nearly their entire workday behind a closed door. Usually it was in the beginning of the month or at the very end.

And it just doesn't stop there. Middle management spends at least a third of that time after the high execs are done with theirs passing along the information to them to give to the regular workers(it always goes down the line).

If you're one of those people that are constantly thrown into meetings, you've got to accept that certain things you are doing during a meeting may not be so appropriate and if caught, it could bring to you a lot of bad circumstances:

1. Fall asleep.

This could hurt your career in so many ways. There's really no place for nap time during a meeting. First of all, even if you don't really mean it, it looks really disrespectful of you if you fall asleep. It means that you don't really care what is being said, you don't care about the company you work for and it shows that you don't really care if your job's in jeopardy. I'm sure you have your reasons why you're so tired. The dog kept barking outside all night at a wild animal or your newborn child would not stop crying. It makes sense. But the person that is running the meeting whether it's the CEO or VP is going to instantly think you've just became bored of it all and decided a nap would be better. And falling asleep anyway is going to keep you from hearing about any important information that was talked about that you may have to relay to your team later on. Not having this information is critical not only to your performance but to the people that you are responsible for. If you feel like you're going to get super tired before you go into that conference room, make sure you grab a caffeinated beverage so it helps you boost your energy levels a little.

2. Show up late.

Unless you're the founder or president of the company, showing up late doesn't make you look like an important person. It actually makes it look like you're disorganized and can never manage your schedule. If you're the type that enjoys making a grand entrance wherever you go, your work meeting is not one of those times. To avoid this, put the date and time of these meetings on your digital calendar and show up on time. As a matter of fact, it probably wouldn't hurt to be just a few minutes early.

3. Slouch in your chair and constantly yawn.

If you are sitting up in your office chair with a straight spine looking alert, it is going to show that you are very interested in what the meeting brings and that your desire is to stay attentive. If you're slouching and adding a few yawns in every other paragraph while the presenter is speaking, it just reveals through body language that you're bored and you have no respect for the company or the people around you. Always keep good posture because it not only makes you look good, but it also brands you as professional and confident.

4. Checking your phone and having the ringer on loud.

A super big no-no is to have your cell phone ringtone on loud. One of the most embarrassing things that can happen is for your cell phone to ring while the presenter is in the middle of speaking about an important subject. To avoid this, turn your ringer volume down to either vibrate or completely mute it until after the meeting is over.

Also, don't be one of those folks that constantly look at your phone during the meeting. If it's not work related, it should never be done. The funny viral thing on TikTok can be watched after you leave work. Or maybe you know of someone's birthday to be that day and you are wanting to see how many people wished them happy birthday on their timeline. Whatever it may be, do not keep checking your phone. It will all be there later once you take your break or clock out when you go home.

5. Gossip.

There's never ever a good time for that but especially during a meeting. Business meetings are for dealing with business, not for social interacting. Nobody cares what Suzie said at the water cooler yesterday or what Bill said to Peter in the parking lot. Leave all of that stuff to human resources. It just reflects poorly on you and shows that you are more focused on stuff that's not going to help you or your company out in any wise. Stay focused on what the meeting is about and stick with what's being said without trailing off into something totally unimportant and unneeded.

6. Pick at your teeth or nails.

Let's just be honest here. It's super gross to deal with your personal hygiene during an important meeting. Nobody in the room probably wants you to pick your teeth with a toothpick or see you chew your hangnail on the side of your thumb. Doing something like this shows not only how vain you truly are but also can portray that you don't care what others see when you're taking care of business and it's also disrespectful to your other co-workers. This is something you do in the bathroom or alone in front of your TV at home. Not during a business meeting.