The transition between meetings is the most stressful moment for the brain.

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Hello there,

I don’t know about you, but I consider myself a business athlete. More so, a life athlete.

I want to excel at life, in relationships, and leave an impression on those that matter. For that, one of my main muscles is my brain, and like a footballer takes care of his knees, I need to take care of my nut shaped muscle.

Key takeaways

• Peak stress moments happen in between meetings.
• Back-to-back meetings heighten stress, but brief breaks help reset the brain and boosts engagement.

Back to back meetings

The pandemic has shown that consecutive virtual meetings are stressful. Are they ideal for well-being and productivity? Literally shows otherwise.

A 2023 survey of 1,500 managers and employees found that 56% cited meetings as their main stress source.

There is objective neurophysiological data showing heightened fatigue compared to face-to-face interactions.

Microsoft’s Human Factors Lab launched a study with 14 remote workers, participants wore EEG caps during sessions of consecutive meetings and meetings with breaks. The results revealed a gradual increase in stress during continuous meetings, with peak stress levels observed during transitions between calls.

When participants took breaks between meetings, their average beta wave activity remained stable, contrasting with the increase observed during continuous meetings. This suggests that breaks effectively reset stress levels, allowing participants to approach subsequent meetings in a more relaxed state. Thus, breaks between meetings can prevent stress accumulation and alleviate meeting fatigue.

This highlights the importance of stress reduction facilitated by breaks in promoting participants' capacity to remain focused and engaged throughout meetings.

In the study, participants engaged in meditation during breaks, which likely contributed to the observed relaxation effects.

The key is to find an activity that personally promotes relaxation and mental rejuvenation, maximizing the benefits of the break.

This resonates with me personally, as I used to believe that screen time equated to productivity. However, as one matures as a business professional, it becomes evident that this is far from reality.

It's not about the quantity of work but rather the quality of output produced, and, most importantly, the ability to sustain productivity over the long term.

While football players retire at 35, we do not.

Additionally, a knee typically possesses a higher regenerative capacity than the brain. Therefore, it's crucial not to damage it, as its full potential may never be fully recovered.

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