How to make room for the work between the conversations

There is a very specific kind of exhaustion that comes from spending an entire day talking about work you never had time to do.

You start with a status meeting, move into a working session, then join a follow-up to the working session. Suddenly it is 4:30, you have twelve new action items, and the task you opened at 8:02 is still waiting.

Your calendar had a productive day. You would also like one.

A useful meeting should accomplish something that benefits from a live conversation. Maybe the team needs to solve a complicated problem or make a decision with several people involved.

Before scheduling it, finish this sentence: “By the end of this meeting, we need to…” If the answer is vague, the invitation probably needs more work.

“Choose a launch date” gives people something to prepare for. “Touch base” gives them a calendar notification and a small sense of dread.

A one-hour meeting with eight people uses eight hours of team time. That is before preparation and follow-up, so the outcome should justify the cost.

For a recurring meeting, ask what would happen if you skipped it this week. If nothing would stall and nobody needs a discussion, try a written update instead.

Make that experiment clear to the group. Tell people where to find the update and how to flag anything that needs a conversation.

If everyone is only reporting that their tasks are on track, a shared update may do the job. Agree on where it lives and when people should read it so the information doesn’t disappear into another channel.

Save the meeting for questions, unresolved issues, or decisions. A tricky handoff may deserve fifteen minutes together; reading six updates aloud probably doesn’t.

You know the meeting where the same issue returns every week? Everybody discusses it, somebody asks for more information, and the group agrees to “circle back.” Again.

Name the person who can make the decision. Agree on the information they still need and when they will decide, then record that in a place the group can find.

If the decision cannot be made today, leave with a specific next step and an owner. Otherwise, next Tuesday is going to sound suspiciously familiar.

Writing, analysis, and planning need concentration. Eleven-minute gaps between calls are a rough place to build a project plan.

Protect a block of focus time and make it visible to your team. When an invitation comes in, check whether you need to contribute live or can provide input beforehand.

For meetings you run, invite the people needed for the outcome and allow less time when the agenda supports it. End with the decision, actions, owners, and due dates written down.

And if you finish early, give the time back.

Pick one meeting on this week’s calendar. Clarify its purpose, shorten it, or replace it with a written update if a live discussion is unnecessary.

Then check whether people still have what they need to move forward. A little less calendar can leave a lot more room to finish something.

Thanks for reading. I hope you’re leaving with at least one idea that makes the work in front of you feel a little clearer, simpler, or more manageable.

Until next time — less chaos, more clarity, better work.
— Shania