As a result, many workers are overbooked, overwhelmed, and underproductive.
Others should simply be canceled and never rescheduled.
Make Meetings More Meaningful or Cancel Them
If youre not already asking, Is this meetingreallynecessary?
its time to start.
Before hitting start video, you and every other attendee should know the purpose of the meeting.
Otherwise, what is the point of it?
If the project is urgent, maybe you need a quick phone call instead of a meeting.
If a live conversation isnt needed, cancel.
The most successful meetings have a clearly-defined purpose and an agenda.
Having a skilled facilitator is really underestimated, says Dr. Gibson.
Is the information relevant to you?
Are you expected to contribute?
If yes, then you should close out your tabs and eliminate distractions.
If not, then maybe you shouldn’t be on the call.
You may feel uncomfortable declining an invitation, even if you know you don’t need to be there.
Its not enough to get up and grab water or eat lunch.
Our brains havent been designed to thrive in this environment, says Dr. Gibson.
At what point does it start to become a hindrance to our work?
Ariel Keys, CEO and founder ofParachute Home, understands these challenges firsthand.
At what point does it start to become a hindrance to our work?
Modern Health has also taken a proactive approach to combat meeting fatigue.
Meetings are still valuable, but they arent the same as they once were.
National Bureau of Economic Research; 2020.
Polycom, Inc. Wainhouse Research and Polycom.End-User Survey: The Real Benefits of Video.
Fauville G, Luo M, Muller Queiroz AC, Bailenson JN, Hancock J.Zoom Exhaustion & Fatigue Scale.
Social Science Research internet; 2021.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.Brief diversions vastly improve focus, researchers find.
2016;101(2):302-311. doi:10.1037/apl0000045
