How much time do you spend in meetings? Hours? Days? Weeks?
Over a year the amount of time the average executive spends tucked away in meeting rooms is an astronomical one thousand one hundred and fifty (or about 23 hours a week).
The trouble with meetings however, is that while they can give us the impression we’re being productive often we’re just busying ourselves. And rather than creating value we are chewing up time that could be better spent on innovating, developing and designing.
So how can you minimise the amount of time you spend in pointless meetings?
Well before you press “Accept” you can start by asking a few simple questions:
- Is there is a clear agenda or outcome for the session? (Hint: if not ask for one or don’t go!)
- Look at the attendees list and check whether you actually need to be there.
- Question how much time is allocated. Does it really need an hour or could it be done in 20 minutes?
- Is a meeting really required, or could it be resolved by a phone call or email?
The fact is too often we accept invites unquestioningly or create our own catch-ups without thinking them through. By asking the questions above however, you can not only make your meetings count but more importantly win back time in your day!
If you’re looking for more insights on how to run an effective meeting once you’re in the room – take a look here.
