Why Do I Always Get My Best Ideas Right After the Meeting Ends?

There’s a magical, almost mythical moment that happens exactly 7 minutes after a meeting ends.

It’s called: “Damn, THAT’S what I should’ve said.”

My brain, which was buffering through the entire 45-minute call, suddenly transforms into a TED Talk machine after everyone’s left the Zoom.

In the Meeting? Blank.

Ask me for thoughts in real-time and I’ll hit you with:

"Yeah, I agree with what she said."

Ask me 10 minutes after it ends?

Suddenly I’ve drafted a pitch, three alternate solutions, and a mental flowchart with color codes.

It’s like my brain installs an update after the meeting.

The Real Culprit? Performance Pressure + Brain Lag

Let’s be honest: Meetings are part information, part improv.

There’s the:

“Wait, what’s this meeting about again?” phase

“Why are there 17 people here?” realization

“Is it my turn to talk?” panic

By the time you’ve processed all that, the moment to contribute has passed—and "Karen" is already screen sharing.

The Post-Meeting Genius Hour

That walk back to your desk?

Brilliant.

That post-lunch zone when no one’s Slacking you?

Ideas galore.

That late-night thought spiral?

Unmatched clarity.

Too bad the meeting notes are already sent and it’s too awkward to circle back with “Hey, I was just thinking…”

So, What Do We Do?

Start a 'Meeting Debrief Notes' doc – dump those after-thoughts somewhere useful.

Message the group anyway – “Hey, thought of this after we wrapped. Sharing here.” No one hates helpfulness.

Give yourself permission to not be perfect live – Smart ≠ instant.

Final Thought

Next time your brain delivers the goods after the call, remember:

It’s not late. It’s just marinated.

Some of the best insights aren’t real-time.

They’re real talk—just delivered on a slightly delayed Wi-Fi.