Reducing Overwhelm: A 3-Step Approach to Managing Meetings
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Chapter 1: Understanding the Meeting Overload
Meetings are a staple of our professional lives. For instance, one of my colleagues often finds her day packed with back-to-back meetings, leaving her with just a couple of brief breaks. This constant barrage of meetings makes it nearly impossible to accomplish any real work or even take a moment for self-care. If she’s fortunate, some meetings might conclude early, allowing her a quick break to recharge.
While this might be manageable for a short period, even the most resilient individuals can only keep up this pace for so long before feeling the strain, both physically and mentally. So, what strategies can you employ to alleviate the stress of an overwhelming meeting schedule?
Section 1.1: Step One - Evaluate Your Meetings
Begin by scrutinizing your meeting schedule. Ask yourself these crucial questions:
- Is my attendance necessary?
- What is the meeting's objective?
- Can someone else represent me, or can I receive notes afterwards?
- Are there recurring meetings that could be reduced or eliminated?
- How can I maximize the value of the meetings I must attend?
Section 1.2: Step Two - Assess Your Workload
Meetings often occur because we juggle multiple projects and clients, making them the only opportunity for check-ins. To manage your workload effectively, consider the following:
- Are there tasks that can be delegated to others?
- Is it feasible to keep up with my current deadlines, or can some tasks be postponed?
- Are there projects that are stagnating? It might be time to consider discontinuing them.
Chapter 2: Mastering Your Calendar
The video title is "Fix the Overwhelm with this 3-Minute Technique - YouTube." In this video, you will learn a quick technique to regain control over your schedule and reduce feelings of overwhelm.
To prevent your calendar from becoming overwhelmed, block out time for focused work. This approach signals to others that you are busy, which may deter them from scheduling meetings during these blocks. As an entrepreneur, utilizing scheduling tools like Calendly or ScheduleOnce can help you manage your availability effectively.
There are two types of calendar blocks you can use:
- General Working Block: A time set aside for various tasks, without a specific focus.
- Specific Working Block: Allocated time for a particular project or task, which is especially useful when you need to concentrate on something specific.
In Summary
While you may not have full control over every meeting you attend or how they are conducted, you can optimize your time through:
- Delegation
- Prioritizing what’s essential
- Maximizing the value of each meeting
To make the most out of every meeting, consider these strategies:
- Pose questions to steer discussions back on track.
- Take note of action items and see if others can take responsibility.
- If possible, conclude meetings early.
- Suggest using Slack or email for status updates instead of meetings.
Note: Be cautious with this approach, as it might lead to a reputation for avoiding meetings. However, if the purpose is merely for status updates, it may be worth discussing with the meeting organizer.
Overall, productive meetings should:
- Provide value to all participants
- Have a clear agenda
- Start and finish on schedule
Reflect on your upcoming week filled with meetings. I challenge you to either cut down on your meeting commitments or at least enhance the productivity of each one.