Why My Meeting Notes Always End Up Full of Doodles (and Why I'm Okay With It)

The Battle to “Stay Professional”

Every now and then, I tell myself:
"This time, I’m going to keep it clean. Professional. Organized."

And sure, I manage for a bit.
But meetings are long. Ideas start bouncing around in my head faster than I can catch them. Doodling just happens.

It’s not because I’m not paying attention.
If anything, doodling helps me focus.
My brain needs something to do while listening — and sometimes, that something is drawing a cactus wearing sunglasses in the margins of the quarterly review.

Why I’m (Finally) Letting It Be Part of My Process

I used to feel guilty about it.
Ashamed that my notes didn’t look like neat bullet points or mind maps that could land in some LinkedIn post.
But the truth is: this is just how my brain works.
It’s part of my ADHD. It’s part of how I listen, think, and process the world.
Some people have perfect color-coded planners. I have a notebook that looks like a comic strip. And that's okay.

On this website — and on my Pinterest — you’ll sometimes find serious tips about focus, planning, and productivity.
But you’ll also find lighter things: silly sketches, playful ideas, and little bits of humor woven into the chaos.
Because staying focused isn't about being serious all the time.
Sometimes, embracing a little silliness is exactly what keeps me grounded.

So if you ever wonder why a doodle or two pops up alongside a “serious” blog post... now you know.
It’s not a mistake.
It’s part of the plan.