The Meeting Apocalypse: How Over-Collaboration is Killing Productivity.
In today’s modern workplace, meetings have become a constant presence. It seems like we spend most of our days in conference rooms, huddled around laptops, trying to come to a consensus on some issue or another. But is all this collaboration actually making us more productive? Or is it having the opposite effect, drowning us in a sea of pointless discussions and indecision?
According to a survey by the time-tracking company Toggl, the average worker spends 31 hours per month in meetings, which is almost an entire workweek. And that’s just the meetings that are actually scheduled on our calendars; it doesn’t include the impromptu meetings that pop up throughout the day, or the countless hours we spend in informal discussions with our colleagues.
But all this collaboration comes at a cost. Studies have shown that meetings are one of the biggest productivity killers in the workplace. They can be disruptive, breaking our concentration and interrupting our workflow. They can be frustrating, as we sit through discussions that seem to go nowhere, or that are dominated by a few vocal participants. And they can be a waste of time, as we struggle to stay focused and engaged in long, drawn-out meetings that don’t seem to have a clear purpose or agenda.
Furthermore, the constant need for collaboration can be exhausting, as we try to juggle multiple meetings and discussions at once. This can lead to burnout and decision fatigue, as we struggle to keep up with the constant barrage of information and opinions. It can also lead to a lack of autonomy and control, as we are forced to conform to the group and compromise our own ideas and opinions.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can break free from the meeting apocalypse and reclaim our time and productivity. Here are a few steps we can take:
- Set clear goals and agendas for meetings. Make sure each meeting has a specific purpose and that all participants are aware of what needs to be accomplished.
- Limit the number of meetings. Not every issue or decision requires a meeting. Consider using other forms of communication, such as email or messaging, to discuss routine or non-urgent issues.
- Keep meetings short and focused. Avoid long, drawn-out meetings that meander from one topic to another. Instead, try to keep meetings concise and focused on the specific issues at hand.
- Encourage participation and engagement. Make sure all participants have a chance to contribute and that everyone is being heard. Avoid letting a few dominant voices dominate the discussion.
- Follow up on action items. After each meeting, make sure that any action items are assigned and followed up on in a timely manner. This will help ensure that meetings are actually achieving their goals.
By taking these steps, we can break free from the meeting apocalypse and create a more productive and collaborative workplace. Let’s stop letting meetings dominate our days and start focusing on the work that really matters.
