How many meetings are you involved with every day? Some people wouldn’t even say involved with. They’d say roped into. Pretty much everyone agrees we have way too many meetings. I think many of us hoped that a silver lining of the pandemic shutdown would be fewer meetings. But the opposite seems to be true.
Of course, all these meetings, large and small, planned or impromptu, drain our energy and focus from all the other meaningful tasks we need to accomplish. Most meetings don’t really accomplish much. They are more of a confirmation of what we’re doing, rehashing what we’re doing, or assuring the bosses that we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing. As a result, people show up to meetings, especially virtual ones, prepared to do other stuff as the meeting is conducted. That’s part of the reason why more than half of people ghost, or turn off their camera and microphone.
All of this, of course, contributes to our sense of overwhelm and burnout, if we let it. Part of the reason people feel a need to multi-task is to make up for the time they spend in meetings. So, how do you manage this demand for endless meetings? After all, they are draining your energy. Here are five quick strategies I’ve seen work:
First, ask to be excused. “Can I really do this?” you might think. Yes, I and others have done it lots of times. You don’t know unless you ask, especially if you already have a full plate. If you explain the reason, a reasonable boss is going to let you off or least allow you to attend only for the part that involves you.
Second, offer summary comments to shorten the meeting. At the beginning of a meeting, say, “Okay, so what are we going to achieve here?” Even if you’re not in charge of the meeting, this is a great way to bring things together. If you’re in the midst of a meeting, and things seems to be drifting, you might say, “Can we take a minute to review what we’re trying to accomplish here?” Or you might say, “I feel like we’re getting off track. What exactly it is that we’re trying to decide here?” The truth is that sometimes we deal with people who are not very good at running meetings.
Third, ask to “phone” it in. In other words, ask if you can submit your input prior to the meeting so you don’t have to attend. Let’s face it, some bosses just like to meet. If this is the case, chances are there are others who are thinking like you. If enough people ask if they can provide input without attending, hopefully the boss will choose to cut down on meetings and make them more efficient.
Fourth, selectively volunteer. Sometimes I offer to write the first draft, organize the agenda or outline the project and have others edit me. Why? Because it is generally more efficient for one person to rough out the assignment and allow others to edit, than it is for five people to sit around a table or on-line for an hour debating the items to be included. I leave my ego at the door when I do this because I know it is a better use of everyone’s time and energy.
Fifth, claim “another commitment.” This phrase has worked wonders in allowing me to elude situations when my time would be better spent elsewhere. And here’s a secret, no one ever asks what the other commitment is, except maybe the boss. Everyone else says, “Oh, okay.”
Now, all of these strategies may take you a bit outside of your comfort zone. But if you want to recapture your time and energy, you’ll have to manage the endless meetings.
This is just one more in-the-moment way to recapture time and energy. For more, check out our new online, self-paced course Beating Burnout. Click on the link in this post to find out more.