People often daydream—even nod off—during meetings. The following ideas on how to keep them awake and alert come from The Complete Handbook of Business Meetings, by Eli Mina, published by the American Management Association:

• Give everyone a job. When each participant has a lead role on an agenda item, no one can sit back for the entire meeting. Convert passive observers into active, awake contributors.
  
• Replace the sweet rolls and danishes with light, healthy snacks such as fresh fruit, yogurt, and granola bars.
  
• Schedule breaks. Concentration suffers after 90 minutes to two hours of uninterrupted sitting.
  
• Call on silent members to comment instead of waiting for them to raise their hands.
  
• Vary discussion activities to move participants away from static positions. For example, break a large group into subgroups that handle a key task and report back.
  
• Prevent rambling and repetitive statements by asking for conciseness. Put a time limit on comments.
  
• Ask speakers to make their presentations interactive, with examples and case studies, and welcome questions throughout.

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