Although this may sound simple, the challenge is compounded not only by mental fatigue, but also by biological influences. Most people have natural, lull-times throughout the day. These are times when the participants feel lethargic. Their eyes glaze over, they stop paying attention, they participate and produce less. There are a few key techniques that allow the facilitator to accommodate and to master the group lull-times and the concomitant loss of energy.
Some techniques have greater success with different types of groups.
It is recommended that you keep a list of the different techniques along with the required workshop tools. When you reach a lull, review the list of techniques and select an appropriate tactic. The only exception to this strategy is the first technique. There are natural lulls in every workshop-lulls that you can count on occurring. Once you know when these lulls will occur, you can plan your session to accommodate them.