You’re not the only person who’s left a meeting feeling like it was a colossal waste of your time. The good news? There are actually better ways to deal with them than just sucking it up and sitting through them.
That’s why I rounded up seven great reads about meetings that’ll hopefully make them more bearable (and less frequent):
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Know that hunch you’ve had that meetings are a waste of time? Turns out, they end up being unproductive because of multitasking or poor planning—so do your best to avoid that from the get-go.
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One of the best ways to reduce the sheer amount of time spent in conference rooms is looking at recurring ones and asking yourself a few key questions to determine if they’re worth it.
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Meetings are just one of many ways to communicate clearly with your co-workers. So, when you notice people getting lost in the conversation, asking clarifying questions can help everyone stay on track.
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And honestly, if you’re looking for good reasons to cancel, see if there are similar alternatives. Can instant messaging or a five-minute debrief accomplish the same goal?
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You know what’s the worst? Multiple back-to-back meetings. Make sure that never happens to you again by intentionally blocking out time in your calendar for yourself.
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Keep it short by never sitting down! Hold a standup meeting and let everyone give a quick update.
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And if it’s unavoidable to gather a large group together, you can take extra measures to make sure you’re not wasting any more of your time by sticking to a shorter time frame or setting specific agendas.
