How do you balance your meeting time with your individual work time and avoid burnout?

1 Set clear goals and priorities

Before you schedule or accept any meeting, ask yourself: what is the purpose of this meeting? What are the expected outcomes and deliverables? How does this meeting align with your goals and priorities? If you can't answer these questions, you might want to rethink the necessity or relevance of the meeting. Only attend or organize meetings that have a clear agenda, a defined duration, and a specific role for you.

2 Block time for deep work

Meetings can interrupt your focus and flow, especially if they are scattered throughout your day. To prevent this, try to block time for deep work in your diary. Deep work is the kind of work that requires your full attention, concentration, and creativity. It could be writing a report, designing a presentation, or coding a software. By blocking time for deep work, you can protect your time and energy for the tasks that matter most to you and your performance.

3 Limit the number and length of meetings

Another way to balance your meeting time with your individual work time is to limit the number and length of meetings you have. According to research, the optimal number of meetings per week is between 10 and 15, and the optimal length of meetings is between 15 and 45 minutes. Anything beyond that can reduce your productivity and satisfaction. To limit the number and length of meetings, you can use tools like calendar apps, meeting schedulers, or timers to set boundaries and reminders.

4 Prepare and follow up

To make the most of your meeting time, you need to prepare and follow up. Preparing means doing your homework, reviewing the agenda, gathering the necessary information, and clarifying your expectations. Following up means summarizing the key points, action items, and deadlines, and communicating them to the relevant stakeholders. By preparing and following up, you can ensure that your meetings are productive, efficient, and meaningful.

5 Take breaks and recharge

Finally, to balance your meeting time with your individual work time and avoid burnout, you need to take breaks and recharge. Meetings can be mentally and emotionally draining, especially if they involve difficult conversations, complex problems, or conflicting opinions. To prevent fatigue and stress, you need to give yourself some time and space to relax, reflect, and rejuvenate. You can do this by taking short breaks between meetings, doing some physical activity, meditating, or listening to music.

6 Seek feedback and improvement

One last tip to balance your meeting time with your individual work time and avoid burnout is to seek feedback and improvement. Meetings are not static events, but dynamic processes that can always be improved. You can ask for feedback from your colleagues, managers, or clients on how you can make your meetings more effective, engaging, and enjoyable. You can also share your feedback and suggestions on how others can improve their meetings. By seeking feedback and improvement, you can learn from your experiences and grow as a professional.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?