🙋🏻♀️ We’re so glad you’re here! Let’s make your meetings more productive and keep your focus on what matters the most.
Meetings—they’re either the engine that drives collaboration or the sinkhole that swallows up all your productive hours.
You know the drill: you check your calendar, and boom 💥—your day’s blocked out in chunks of back-to-back calls, leaving you zero time for the work that moves the needle. And by 5 PM, your to-do list looks exactly like it did at 9 AM, except now you’re tired, mentally drained, and annoyed.
The culprit? Too many meetings.
So the big question is: How do you make room for deep, purpose-driven work while balancing meetings?
Trust me, that’s no easy task but let me walk you through how to have fewer meetings and what I’ve done to make my life easier and days much more productive.
🛑 STOP! Drowning in meetings?Jump to the section below for a closer look at how to have less meetings. |
The Brutal Truth About Meeting Overload
Let’s get real—meetings are often a necessary evil.
Sure, they serve a purpose: aligning teams, making decisions, and moving projects forward. But when they start piling up, they become the enemy.
Did you know that the average professional spends 62 hours per month in meetings? And get this—30-50% of that time is considered a total waste. Yep, that’s straight out of a study by Atlassian. If you’re doing the math, that’s around 31 hours a month that could be reclaimed for, oh, I don’t know, actually getting stuff done.
It’s frustrating, and I’ve been there too. In the early days of my career, I’d accept every meeting invitation like it was some kind of badge of honor. The result? Zero deep work and an overwhelming sense of burnout. The lesson? To get anything meaningful done, you’ve got to get ruthless about your time and reduce meetings.
Taking Back Control: My “Meeting Mission Statement”
If meetings are eating away at your calendar, it’s time to rethink your approach.
I created my own “Meeting Mission Statement.” It’s my compass for navigating through the sea of invites, and it’s been a game-changer. Here’s how I structure it:
1. Determine the Meeting’s Purpose
Is this meeting crucial? If not, why am I even considering it?
To be blunt, I only attend meetings that are essential—think strategic planning sessions, decision-making meetings, or those where relationship-building with key stakeholders is involved. If it is just a glorified status meeting, I’ll pass. Honestly, most of the “sync” meetings I used to attend were time-sucks that didn’t move the needle. These days, I save that time for projects that actually matter.
👉 Last month, I got an invite for a “Project Alignment” call. Sounded important, but when I looked deeper, it was just a rehash of an email update. I politely declined, and you know what? I used that hour to draft a proposal that ended up becoming the blueprint for our next big launch. Time well spent.
” Say NO like it’s your job: If the meeting or opportunity doesn’t make you money, solve a problem, enliven your passions, or move your goals (and life) forward, then it’s a No for you, honey. Period. Your time and energy are your most expensive resources.”— Jennifer Gray, Mental Health Therapist & Expert in Entrepreneurial Wellbeing, Jennifer Gray Counseling
2. Ask the Right Questions
Before I commit, I dig for details.
If the invite is vague (and let’s be real, they usually are), I’ll shoot the organizer a quick message: “What’s the goal of this meeting? How does my role play into the discussion?” Nine times out of ten, I discover I don’t need to be there.
👉 Just last week, I was invited to a “Team Brainstorm” with zero context. After a quick follow-up, I learned it wasn’t relevant to my work, so I got out of it. Saved myself a solid two hours.
3. Propose Alternatives
Can’t say “no” to a meeting? Then negotiate.
Sometimes it’s a senior leader calling the shots, and declining isn’t an option. In these cases, I look for other ways to contribute—maybe sending my thoughts in an email or a quick pre-recorded video instead. This shows that I’m committed while also protecting my own time.
👉 For instance, when my boss wanted me in on a three-hour planning session, I suggested a quick one-on-one call instead. We got more done in 20 minutes than we would’ve in that room.
“Use the ‘optional’ feature. Clearly mark if the whole meeting or even certain participants are ‘optional.’ State expectations. Clearly communicate if video will be mandatory, if you expect any attendees to plan anything ahead of the call, if you expect active contributions to the conversation, or if it’s more of a passive listening call.” — Belinda Conde, Head of Marketing, Datos (A Semrush Company)
Carving Out Deep Work Blocks
Time blocking is my secret weapon. I carve out specific hours in my day where meetings are strictly off-limits.
Mornings are my golden hours—no meetings allowed. This is when I do my best work—whether it’s planning, writing, or strategizing. By the time noon hits, I’ve already tackled the big stuff, leaving me prepared for any meetings that do come my way in the afternoon.
Navigating the Art of “No” (Without Burning Bridges)
The truth? Declining meetings isn’t always a walk in the park. There’s a fine line between setting boundaries and coming off as uncooperative.
I’ve learned that transparency is key. I’ll say something like, “I’m heads-down on Project X to hit our deadline. How critical is it for me to be at this meeting?” It reminds people of my priorities without shutting down the conversation.
Why Protecting Your Time Isn’t Selfish—It’s Strategic
The biggest misconception about time management? That it’s selfish. It’s not—it’s smart. It’s about delivering the best work possible, keeping a healthy work-life balance, and steering clear of burnout. According to the Harvard Business Review, employees waste up to 31 hours each month in unproductive meetings.
Imagine reclaiming just half of that time—an extra 10+ hours you could spend on deep work, skill-building, or hey, maybe even some self-care.
When I started cutting back on meetings, I noticed a dramatic increase in my productivity. Suddenly, I had the time and energy to dive into projects, lead new initiatives, and take creative risks. And guess what? My performance reviews reflected that.
Turns out, saying “no” to the right things helps you say “yes” to the work that matters.
“The first step I take when invited to a meeting, or when I’m considering inviting others to participate in one, is to assess whether a meeting is the most efficient and effective way to accomplish what we need to get done. Is a meeting the best format for the task? Could you request written updates from everyone instead, for example? Then, what is the desired outcome of the meeting? For example, is it to negotiate agreement, gather information, plan next steps, or something else? Next, given that objective, do we all need to gather at one time to accomplish it, you should ask yourself.” — Dr. Marcia Layton Turner, Bestselling Business Book Ghostwriter“
The “Decline” Button: Your Friend, Not Your Enemy
Saying “no” doesn’t have to be awkward. Think of it as a negotiation. You’re not shutting down collaboration; you’re optimizing it.
For instance, when my team proposed weekly brainstorming sessions, I knew it was a recipe for burnout. Instead, I suggested asynchronous communication and brainstorming via a shared doc and shorter, focused follow-up calls. The result? We saved hours and still generated tons of ideas—without the meeting fatigue.
Building a “Meeting-Lite” Culture
This isn’t just an individual problem—it’s a cultural one. To change meeting overload, you’ve got to start with your team.
I’ve initiated a few strategies, and they’re starting to stick:
- Slack First: Before we schedule a meeting, we try to solve the issue via Slack or email. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish without scheduling a call.
- Short Meetings Only: We’ve capped most meetings at 15-20 minutes. You’d be surprised how much more efficient things get when the clock is ticking.
- No Meeting Wednesday: This one’s a lifesaver. We’ve reserved Wednesdays exclusively for deep work, and productivity has skyrocketed. I can knock out projects in one day that would’ve taken me a week before. Cheers to meeting-free days! YAY!
If you’re drowning in unnecessary meetings, it’s time to take action. Imagine a work culture where meetings are purposeful, concise, and actually move projects forward. It’s not a fantasy—it’s achievable if you start making small changes today.
Ask yourself: Are all these meetings really necessary? Could some be handled through quick emails, shared documents, or even Loom videos? Challenge the norm and advocate for efficiency.
Winning Back My Time
There was a time when I was drowning in a sea of pointless calls. Weekly check-ins, “sync” sessions, you name it—I was there. But when I started getting picky about my invites, everything changed.
One time, I got invited to a two-hour strategy meeting. Sounds important, right? Wrong. After a quick check, I realized it was more of an update session. I declined and instead used that time to prepare a pitch for a new client. That pitch? It led to a deal worth six figures.
Or take “Focus Fridays.” I implemented this policy to block out all meetings afternoon. It’s a day where my calendar is sacred. With that time, I’ve been able to work on personal growth projects, upskill, and dive into the kind of work that’s both meaningful and rewarding. The best part? My colleagues are following suit, and the results speak for themselves. We’re hitting deadlines faster and producing work that we’re proud of.
The Bottom Line: Meetings Should Work for You
We do not need more meetings.
It’s up to us to change the narrative. Meetings shouldn’t dominate your calendar—they should serve your goals. By taking control, setting boundaries, and creating a “Meeting Mission Statement,” you create space for the work that drives real impact.
It’s time to flip the script. You don’t need to be at every meeting to be valuable. The key is to be at the right ones and to protect your time fiercely for everything else.
Remember: Fewer meetings means more time spent on getting sh*t done!
Frequently Asked Questions About How to Have Less Meetings
Q: How can I reduce the number of weekly status meetings without missing important updates?
- A: To reduce weekly status meetings, set up a shared, centralized project dashboard for everyone on your team. This allows attendees to track action items and project statuses without the need for constant check-ins. Only schedule a meeting if there are specific agenda items that require group discussion.
Q: What’s the best way to avoid Zoom fatigue and still stay connected with my team?
- A: Zoom fatigue is real! To reduce meeting time, limit the number of video calls by relying on asynchronous communication tools like Slack or project management platforms for updates and simple action items. Save video calls for complex discussions that benefit from face-to-face interaction.
Q: How do I know if we’re spending too much time in meetings?
- A: If you’re struggling to find time to work on high-priority tasks or feel over-reliant on meetings, you’re probably spending too much time attending them. Try blocking time on your calendar specifically for focused work and reviewing whether each meeting is necessary, or if it can be replaced with a status update email.
Q: How can we reduce the number of attendees in each meeting?
- A: Start by considering who actually needs to be in the room. A small core group should suffice for most discussions, while others can receive a summary email of key points afterward. This keeps meetings focused and ensures that only those directly involved in the decision-making process are attending.
Q: What’s a good alternative to status meetings that still keeps everyone informed?
- A: Weekly status meetings can often be replaced with a shared document where team members update project progress, deadlines, and any blockers. This approach reduces the need for real-time meetings while ensuring everyone is kept in the loop on the latest developments.