Why ADHD Brains Hate Endless Meetings

The IT strategy every team needs for 2026

2026 will redefine IT as a strategic driver of global growth. Automation, AI-driven support, unified platforms, and zero-trust security are becoming standard, especially for distributed teams. This toolkit helps IT and HR leaders assess readiness, define goals, and build a scalable, audit-ready IT strategy for the year ahead. Learn what’s changing and how to prepare.

Download the Toolkit

A Founder’s Bold Move on Meetings

Once upon a time, I worked for a founder/CEO led company. We’ll call them “Ben”

Ben was very industrious. First in the office, and last to leave. He was very

• Hand on

• Passionate and

• Had an intense and sharp focus

I suspected he had ADHD… word on the road was I was right. Ben’s an ADHDer.”

The Game-Changing All-Staff Email

One Monday morning, I sat at my desk and read an all-staff email he sent… it was about meetings. It read something like:

“The company is behind schedule, and we’re changing our approach… fewer meetings. Should we have meetings:

• They should take no more than 20 mins.

• They should have agendas. If there’s no agenda, there’s no meeting

• We’re allowed to decline meetings.”

Why This Email Hit Different for an ADHDer

I punched the air after reading the email. I hate meetings! I find them unproductive at times.

Earlier in my career, I’d get roped into a lot of unnecessary meetings (or at least I thought).

I wish I had the balls to decline then, but anxiety and the pressure to say yes took over.

And as an ADHDer, trying to maintain focus on something that’s not within your remit or interest is challenging.

I mean, it’s sometimes good to know what’s going on around the company. But sometimes, when time is of the essence, I’d rather pass and ask someone else to document and share the notes.

The Shocking Cost of Bad Meetings

Research shows that we waste 30+ hours a month on unnecessary meetings on average. Crazy, right?!”

Attention is finite, especially with ADHD

Attention is like budgeting. It’s finite, and one has to be very intentional with where they direct it, especially for the ADHDer or people struggling to sustain attention.

How These Rules Protect Your Focus

The agendas and scheduled time have helped me prime my brain to stay

• Engaged

• Prepared

• Locked in

I’m entering meetings/discussions with questions prepped ahead of time, reducing friction and back-and-forths.

The intention is critical to how we sustain our attention and energy levels.

What meeting rules have helped you protect your attention?

If you enjoyed this post, or know people who can benefit from it. Please spread the word. They can subscribe at neurodiversediary.io/subscribe

Stay Different,

The AuDHD Exec

Disclaimer: I am not your psychiatrist, coach, doctor. Neurodiverse Diary does not provide medical services or professional counselling and is not a substitute for professional medical care. Everything I publish represents my opinions, experience, not advice.