I know you think you can multitask. We all do at least with certain tasks or situations. In reality, none of us really do it well. Ever.

The obvious one is when you’re on a call or a Zoom meeting. We hear you clicking on your keyboard either opening and responding to email or surfing the Internet. On Zoom, we see where you’re looking, and it’s down at your phone. Yes, we all do it, but it is a good idea to try and stop.

Active listening and participation are important. If you disagree, you should think about why you are on the call or in the meeting. Even if the answer is you’re required to be there because of your job, either suck it up and focus, or think about whether you’re in the right job or role.

I understand focusing on something you don’t think is important or find uninteresting is difficult. However, it is more difficult when your boss follows up with you about the call or meeting and you didn’t pay attention enough to answer their questions.

Try to change your focus and presence one day at a time. It’s a challenge for all of us, and it’s made more difficult by the speed at which we all are moving, let alone if you’re tired or have other stresses in your life, which we all do. Make it a goal to start being present and focused on your next call or meeting because there is no time like the present to try.