A lot can get lost in the shuffle when you’re moving from one meeting to the next. There’s a name for it: “context shredding.” It’s the mental drain that comes from constantly switching between topics and teams and it makes it hard to keep meetings truly productive. It’s something DJ Sampath, SVP of Cisco’s AI Software and Platform group, thinks about and his hack is AI. “Being able to start to put together a small briefing that logs into your calendar saying, 'here's your transition from this meeting to this meeting,'" he explains in a LinkedIn News interview at the Cisco AI Summit. “ Being able to think through some of that stuff before you have meetings can be a huge game changer because it avoids re-litigating things that have already been decided.” What are you doing to maximize meeting productivity? Share in the comments.
Strong point. Fragmented attention often signals fragmented process. If we design work with defined checkpoints and fewer reactive triggers, productivity improves without adding pressure. Build the system to protect attention, then move.
Having buffer time between meetings has been super helpful for me. Taking a few moments to focus on what comes next and be prepared is necessary. I typically will leave the last hour of my day to look ahead as well. We should never be surprised by what's coming up if we are diligent in our preparation.
...don't shuffle. End of problem.
Context disruption is a genuine phenomenon. People often underestimate the cognitive strain caused by frequent switching. I've found that AI-generated briefings prior to meetings significantly enhance focus and reduce repetitive content.