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Author: marcus-hammarberg

_posts/2026-01-20-naked-meetings.md

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+---
+layout: post
+title: "Going 'device naked' to meetings"
+author: "Marcus Hammarberg"
+date: 2026-01-20 04:00:00
+tags:
+  - Agile
+  - Programming
+  - Life of a consultant
+---
+
+This is a post that could end up causing me problems—or at least being flagged as “not safe for work”—but here we go:
+
+`I've started going naked to meetings!`
+
+To clarify a bit, I've started to go _device_ naked to meetings. In other words - I try, hard, to not bring my devices to meetings.
+
+Any other interpretation would render disgust and probably me without a job. The social code in Sweden doesn't really allow for your dirty thoughts, dear reader.
+
+What I'm writing here is purely for me and I'm only going to relate my own reasons and experiences but maybe you find some value in this post.
+
+<!-- excerpt-end -->
+
+## The problem
+
+I'm old and have been doing this for a long time. But with the rule of chats over emails, AI agents that do my heavy code lifting and note taking etc. I find myself being interrupted and disturbed more and more in meetings.
+
+It has got increasingly worse the last year or so. If I bring my computer ("to take note on") I inevitably end up reading an article, writing a Slack or even coding. Rarely related to the meeting. There. I've said it.
+
+In fact, it's leaking into my private life where I found (I've stopped) myself reading news during rehearsals, or unable to watch a movie without IMDBs trivia section open.
+
+It has to stop. Drastic measures are needed. I'm going naked!
+
+## Going device naked
+
+Yes. I will not bring a device. Not even the phone, if I can avoid it (see [challenges](#challenges) below), to meetings.
+
+I will bring myself, my intellect and my full attention and engagement of the topic at hand. I've already started and found some great changes.
+
+In meetings, I will keep my Work in Process limit to 1; whatever is being talked about
+
+## Benefits
+
+What I've noticed already is that meetings are more interesting than before. I seem to remember more details, (yes, without taking notes) and also _see_ people.
+
+That last part is embarrassing but sure, I've noticed others before. But now that I listen - actually focused - on what they say and do, I connect with them better.
+
+Hopefully my ~~nakedness~~ engagement  will also benefit others, as they have more of my attention.
+
+## Challenges
+
+Here's some of the challenges I've stumbled into, and that you might encounter if you try to be device naked.
+
+### Others
+
+People will look weirdly at you. I've actually met a fellow device nudist (who asked to be anonymous) that was met with a comment like; `Oh? No computer? So you are not working in this meeting then?`
+
+Well, the hope is that it will be an even better meeting, without a computer screen.
+
+### Taking clothes on, but then off again
+
+The first challenge I stumbled into was that I needed my computer or phone. To look up something we need in the meeting, to take notes or to present.
+
+Being device naked is not a rule, it's more of a guideline.
+
+I do what I have to and the ... gulp ... close the lid of the computer again. Without looking at Slack. I'll do that after the meeting.
+
+### Remote nakedness
+
+Most of the meetings that we have today have one or more person being remote. And being naked remotely is really awkward. Being _device_ naked remote is impossible.
+
+What I've found is that having the computer away from me helps from me switching over to another window and coding some unit tests.
+
+I try to avoid having the computer in my lap. I put the phone on another table.
+
+### Notes
+
+`Aha! But how do you take notes then?`, someone asked in the last meeting.
+
+The short answer is that I don't really know. But I see two potential solutions.
+
+1) I take fewer, but focused notes. See [taking clothes on](#taking-clothes-on-but-then-off-again). Or I might use paper. If I'm the notetaker I try to make use of the Focus mode that most OS have built in. I even shut down other apps down.
+
+2) There are so many great note-taking tools now. Especially in meeting tools, they are becoming increasingly good. The best I've seen is the one found in Notion, but you do you.
+
+Then you can put the computer on the side, to take notes for you - while you enjoy the device nakedness and focus. Then spend a few minutes after the meeting picking out the most important things.
+
+### But, but, but - I'm super busy
+
+(No, your dirty mind ran to `butt`. Your mind. Not mine.)
+
+There are some people around me that are engaged in A LOT of things. I see them buzzing around to do different things. Sometimes I'm one of them.
+
+But me being unengaged in a meeting because I'm responding to Slack messages, or writing a comment on document or fixing a Slide - all of those things are not helping this meeting.
+
+It is actually better to skip the meeting, if you cannot be there fully, or attend for awhile, than being half-committed.
+
+You know what, the slides I created during the meeting also suffered from me not focusing on that.
+
+Small burst of focus is better than big bursts of half-ass:ing it.
+
+## Summary
+
+Being device naked is scary at first. And it will feel weird, and you will fail and fall into going full device clothed again.
+
+But I see this effort as me (and you?) giving each other the gift of our full attention. This will lead to better interactions and outcomes of those interactions.
+
+Remember, the goal is not to be device naked. The goal is to have a good interaction.
+
+It has too, right? Otherwise I'm running around naked here for no reason.