The reason why meetings drag on and decisions can't be made might be due to the 'carbon dioxide concentration in the room.'
Many people have likely experienced meetings with many competent managers and employees, only to find that the conversation drags on aimlessly, making it difficult to decide on anything important.
The bottleneck might be the air in the room | Mike Bowler
https://blog.mikebowler.ca/2026/07/03/co2-and-decision-making/
Recently, Bowler has been carrying a portable carbon dioxide monitor and measuring carbon dioxide levels in various locations. Outdoor carbon dioxide levels are around 400 ppm , but in enclosed conference rooms with only a few people, the levels have sometimes reached over 2000 ppm.
Previous research has shown that indoor carbon dioxide levels affect people's cognitive function. In a 2012 study , participants were placed in environments with carbon dioxide concentrations of 600 ppm, 1000 ppm, and 2500 ppm and given computer-based decision-making ability tests.
The experiment showed that, compared to clean air at 600 ppm, performance significantly decreased in 6 out of 9 decision-making indicators in a 1000 ppm environment. Furthermore, in a 2500 ppm environment, a serious performance decline was observed in 7 out of 9 indicators, some reaching levels that could be described as 'dysfunctional.'
Furthermore, another study published in 2015 showed a significant decline in cognitive function in key areas of meetings, such as strategy, planning, and information utilization under pressure, as carbon dioxide concentrations increased. In other words, meetings held in poorly ventilated, enclosed spaces may be proceeding while important cognitive functions are impaired.
Bowler points out, '1000 ppm is by no means an extreme number. In a sealed room with several people breathing, the concentration will reach that level in the first hour. Situations such as all-day planning meetings, architecture reviews, and quarterly strategy offsite meetings held in windowless boardrooms push the carbon dioxide concentration to a level where the quality of decision-making is significantly reduced. You are making your most important decisions in the most inappropriate environment.'
Many employees are unaware of the carbon dioxide levels in their rooms, so this problem doesn't surface until someone brings in a carbon dioxide monitor. Even in rooms with high carbon dioxide levels, most people don't feel unwell; at best, they might feel 'a little tired,' 'mentally foggy,' or 'difficult to concentrate.' When trying to figure out why, the reasons often boil down to factors like meetings being too long or lack of sleep.
Furthermore, indoor carbon dioxide levels are not only a problem in conference rooms, but also affect employees working remotely. If ventilation is neglected in home workspaces or small workspaces, carbon dioxide levels can rise to levels that affect cognitive function.
Bowler said, 'For decades I've tried to understand why competent teams fail to perform as expected, but I've grown skeptical of explanations that start with blaming people. Before concluding that the team lacks motivation, can't think strategically, or has a broken meeting culture, it's worth trying to eliminate the cheapest factors within the building. A carbon dioxide monitor costs less than an hour's wage, and opening windows and doors is free.'
This point has also been discussed on the social news site Hacker News.
The bottleneck might be the air in the room | Hacker News
One user argued that major manufacturers like Apple should include carbon dioxide monitors in their smartwatches and smartphones. 'Many people feel dizzy or fall asleep in many places like poorly ventilated rooms, classrooms, and movie theaters, but they don't realize that it's simply due to low blood oxygen levels. Raising awareness is the only real solution,' they commented.
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in Science, Posted by log1h_ik