Too Many Meetings at Work? Here’s How To Stop the Meeting Madness

Get over nonsense and start putting some sense into your work

Credit: Author

Too many meetings. I had said those three words way too many times that month. Sometimes, as a fleeting comment to myself. Other times, in the form of self-pity as this excessive, self-absorbed unhappiness over the current state of my work.

Instead of shouting at the top of my lungs and getting myself out of the rut I had fallen into, I simply accepted it as a way of life: “This is how it’s supposed to be, and I can’t do much about it.” After all, I consciously opted in to be a manager, and too many meetings seemed like a part of a manager’s job.

A few months passed by, and then things got worse. My scope increased, my team size more than doubled, and so did the number of meetings. I absolutely lost control over my time. I was in a constant frenzy throughout the day, moving from one meeting to the next, only to be left exhausted, disoriented, and grumpy.

I loved my organization and my team. But I didn’t feel so great about my work. Too many meetings had become an easy escape and excuse to avoid the things that demanded my time and attention — planning for the future, identifying better opportunities for my team, or investing in my learning.