The doorbell rings.
Not loud. Not dramatic. But loud enough to break your focus.
You're in a meeting. Camera on. Mic muted. A topic that sounds important.
You hesitate.
Ignore it and hope it stops? Get up and disappear? Type something in the chat?
So you step away briefly. Without saying anything.
The invisible break
Two minutes later, you're back.
Nobody knows exactly when you left. Nobody knows why. But everyone noticed.
Someone says your name.
“You were just away. What do you think?”
A brief moment of silence.
You're hearing the question for the first time. Your mind desperately searches for context.
“Uh yeah, so… what was the question exactly?”
It's nobody's fault. And yet the moment is uncomfortable.
For you. For the team. For the meeting's flow.
Why this happens
Meetings pretend everyone is permanently present.
But that's not true.
Remote work means life in the background. Delivery drivers. Children. Neighbors. Technology that doesn't ask if it's a good time.
Stepping away briefly is normal. Not being able to talk about it is the real problem.
Because every absence otherwise becomes a disruption. Or an awkward scene.
Visible absence relieves everyone
In one meeting, it was suddenly different.
A person disappeared. Not just gone. But visibly.
A small signal. “Away for a moment.”
No sound. No chat. No explaining.
The conversation continued. Nobody addressed the person. Nobody waited.
When they returned, it was clear: Back now.
Without comment. Without justification.
Coming back becomes easier too
The real difference showed itself afterward.
When the person was back, they didn't catch up on the entire meeting.
Instead, someone said quietly: “We're currently on point three. It's about X.”
Another added: “The decision on that is still open.”
Two sentences. Nothing more.
No repetition of the last ten minutes. No justifying. No awkward asking.
Catching up became an invitation, not a mandatory program.
Small gesture. Big impact.
Suddenly nobody had to guess anymore. Nobody had to rescue. Nobody had to explain.
Absence was no longer a flaw. But a state.
The meeting stayed in flow. The person remained dignified. And everyone knew where they stood.
Meetings also need small pauses
Good meetings plan breaks. But they rarely allow interruptions.
Yet it's exactly these small interruptions that otherwise create major friction.
Briefly stepping away isn't disinterest. It's everyday life.
When meetings make absence visible and make return easy, something unexpected emerges.
Calm. Clarity. And a conversation that doesn't start over every time.
At Grounds Up, you can change your status anytime – “Away for a moment” is just one click. No explaining. No justifying. Simply try it out.