A Microsoft study found that the average worker spends 250% more time in meetings each week than they did before the pandemic.
Wow, read more here on that report and some other tips from Corporate Rebels.
For project managers, we often feel like we don’t have enough time, and meeting time isn’t the only reason for this, but it’s a big one.
Many times I’ve been in back to back meetings, working on my laptop preparing for the next meeting, whilst in a meeting, then having to do my actions once the working day has finished.
It’s exhausting and sets you up for making mistakes and problems you could have prevented on your projects with a bit more headspace and time.
So how do you protect your focus, still keep stakeholders happy, and cut the number of meetings without looking disengaged?
Here’s a few tips to help.
1: Audit Your Calendar
Look back over the last two weeks and ask: Which meetings were essential, and which could have been handled via email or an update? This provides clarity on what to keep, delegate, or eliminate. This isn’t easy, but if you do nothing, expect the same results.
2: Set Clear Agendas (or Decline Without One)
Never accept or send a meeting invite without an agenda. If it’s missing, ask for one or politely decline, this alone removes a surprising amount of wasted time. When I’ve done this, on some occasions its resulted in a 5 minute call and the meeting was never needed.
3: Shorten Default Durations
Try 25-minute or 45-minute slots instead of the standard 30 or 60-minute slots. It creates urgency and frees up “white space” in your day. This is a big one, shorter meetings generate more focus and urgency in the meetings you have, so you get more done! All meeting apps now have this feature to turn on as the default.
4: Use Asynchronous Updates
Replace status meetings with shared dashboards, voice notes, or a weekly written roundup. Everyone stays informed, but you all get time back. So useful to have the data when you need it, so keep project information visible and accessible.
5: Protect Deep Work Blocks
Block at least one uninterrupted 90-minute window per day. Guard it like you would a meeting with your boss to ask for a pay rise! If 90 minutes isn’t realistic, find shooter blocks and then work on one thing only during that time.
6: Start with changes you can control
Often, changes to meetings at any company get some initial traction but then die a death as more ‘senior’ people fall into old habits. Make changes within your team so essentially create not only behaviour change but also a case study on what works, then expand.
“The least productive people are usually the ones who are most in favour of holding meetings.” – Thomas Sowell
Reducing meeting overload isn’t about cutting connections with those you work with, it’s about making the time you do spend together more valuable.
Start with small tweaks (shorter durations, clear agendas, async updates), and you’ll quickly reclaim hours for real project work.
Have a great week
Ben
