I think I will try to take notes during meetings...at least that will make me tune in more. Part of the issue is that I'm typically the only one not in the room, so I have to call in. They have a conference phone set up on the other side, but it's from the dinosaur ages & makes it hard to hear everyone clearly. Then there's the issue of people forgetting I'm on the phone, and they talk over each other or start laughing at something, and I lose all clarity on the call until it settles down again. I pick up in a totally different vein of thought than where I was right before that.

I also don't like to sit idle, so a lot of the time on these calls I'm distracted with something else in front of me...making lunch, getting a cup of coffee, throwing laundry in while I'm listening to someone. Taking notes would probably help with that issue, too.