We are in it, folks: we have seen and are continuing to see predicted layoffs take place across major organizations. Companies are looking for ways to cut costs and in 2022, it was reported that large companies could be saving up to $100 million by reducing meetings and prioritizing attendee lists. 

And costly concerns aside, meetings can just be a major time suck. This is not at all a new concept, but has become increasingly apparent since it seems, and reasonably so, that a lot of us are making sure to prioritize what really matters. Whether in a conference room face-to-face or in front of a camera and behind a screen (possibly experiencing what we’ve come to refer to as Zoom fatigue) being mindful of the number of meetings you put on the books is good for both your business and your health. 

Here are some time management tips to help you make the most of your and your coworkers time. They’ll thank you.

  1. Define the purpose and desired outcomes of the meeting: before scheduling a meeting, make sure you have a clear purpose in mind and define what you want to achieve by the end of the meeting. Communicate these goals to all participants so everyone is clear on what needs to be accomplished. In other words: have an agenda, take solid recap notes, and record the meeting if appropriate. Even if the agenda may read “prepare agenda for subsequent meeting,” be clear about it. But please, avoid this particular meeting as much as possible. 
  2. Invite only necessary participants: only invite people who have a direct connection to the purpose of the meeting. This helps to keep the meeting focused and reduces the chances of the conversation getting derailed. Even if some participants are invited purely for visibility, you should be able to explain why that’s the case. Some stakeholders may be on a need-to-know basis. Including them on project status meetings or recurring check-ins may be unnecessary and if you’re not unclear about the purpose of their attendance up front, they may not even show up! Be intentional. 
  3. Start and end on time: Starting and ending meetings on time shows respect for everyone’s schedule and helps to keep the meeting on track. If you can see the meeting is about to go late, it may feel awkward to interrupt someone mid-thought, but you take note of where you’re at in the conversation and pick it up in a follow-up meeting or better yet, cover it via email. And schedule your meetings for the right amount of time based on your agenda. “Giving back” 30 minutes may seem like a win for efficiency, but could also just be the result of poor planning.
  4. Assign action items and follow up: at the end of the meeting, assign any action items to specific individuals and set a deadline for completion. Follow up with participants to ensure that the action items are completed on time. Assigning ownership not only helps to ensure that tasks can be completed, but it helps define roles and responsibilities for the future. 

Meetings are never going away. And they shouldn’t! Conversations and checkpoints are critical to both project progress and establishing a good rapport with your team. But by following these tips on mindful time management, you can ensure your meetings are efficient and productive.