How to spend less time in meetings each week

Introduction?

Are you one of those 32% of people who think “This meeting could have been an email?”?

You open your calendar and see back-to-back meetings lined up. Like, the goal is to get things done, but it feels like you are getting nowhere.

Endless discussions, unclear agendas, and overbooked calendars take a toll on your productivity and efficiency.

The more meetings you attend, the more deeper you keep spinning in the same cycle. And in just a few hours, that’s a whole workday every single week, GONE.

But, it doesn’t have to be this way.

To help reclaim your and your team’s time, here are 5 practical ways to reduce the meeting overload every week in your organization.?

1. Utilize communication tools?

First thing first, look beyond meetings. Think of alternatives, like implementing collaboration and communication tools like ProofHub to eliminate unproductive meet-ups and focus on what matters.?

“Communication should travel via the shortest path necessary to get the job done, not through the ‘chain of command’. Any manager who attempts to enforce chain of command communication will soon find themselves working elsewhere. - Elon Musk

With ProofHub, you can collaborate and provide feedback on files, docs, and other digital assets easily. Also, you can even have quick 1:1 and group chats , and even topic discussions to enhance collaboration standards.?

Not just that, you also get notified for important updates, which means, you don’t have to go on checking again and again.

1. Evaluate the necessity?

When you are bombarded with countless meeting requests, don’t just accept them blindly. Push back and filter out to eliminate unnecessary ones.??

"Ask yourself at every moment 'Is this necessary?'" - Marcus Aurelius

Understand the purpose, objective, and outcome. Analyze if this interaction can be taken to an alternative mode of communication like email, phone call, or simply text. Adopt a critical practice to determine the best mode of communication and time optimization.??

2. Set meeting time limits

Do not go overboard in the name of discussing project aspects in a meeting - every time. Why? Because not every meeting should be stretched for hours, or even more than 15-20 minutes.?

“Excessive meetings are the blight of big companies and almost always get worse over time. Please get out of all large meetings, unless you’re certain they are providing value to the whole audience, in which case keep them very short.” - Elon Musk?

Implement Parkinson's Law which states that the work expands to fill the time available for its completion. For that, set a realistic and strict time limit, and stick to it.?

3. Avoid frequent meetings

Meetings foster team collaboration , but when the count exceeds a certain limit, it doesn’t take much to turn into counterproductive time-sinks. Results? You'll see your team spending more time in meetings rather than doing something.?

According to extensive research by Zippia, the average meeting count per week for employees is 8 , and 12 for executive managers. And 65% of them claim that these meetings hinder their focus and prevent them from completing their work.?

When you avoid redundant meetings and frequent context-switching from the picture, you eliminate burnout, frustration, and inefficiency that come with it.

Discover how effective team collaboration can drive success, enhance innovation, and boost morale!

4. Agenda driven meetings

Never schedule a meeting with unclear insights into the agenda. This way, you will not just waste your time, but your team’s time too.??

You should never go to a meeting or make a telephone call without a clear idea of what you are trying to achieve. - Steve Jobs

By defining clear agendas , you create a framework for focused discussions, shared understanding, and unparalleled efficiency in your meetings. Doing so ensures, that everybody is on the same page, prepared to contribute, and focused on outcomes. This ensures meetings are concluded in a shorter duration.

Closing Words

Effective communication isn't about holding endless meetings. It is about having focused discussions and reaching conclusions strategically. But their disruptive nature can easily distract you from your core tasks.?

Meetings should be your last resort unless necessary. It not only eats up your valuable hours of the week but takes a toll on your productivity and efficiency.?

Streamline your workflow and enhance team collaboration with ProofHub —all without the need for constant meetings. Try for Free now.?