.png)
Meetings can sometimes feel like a necessary evil. If you’re an employee without control over scheduling or structure, it’s easy to feel frustrated when meetings take up your time without adding value. But here’s the truth: while you might not be able to eliminate or reorganize meetings, there are realistic actions you can take to make them more productive and less draining.
Let’s explore simple, actionable ways to take control of your productivity—even when meetings aren’t in your hands.
1. Prepare Like a Pro: Even if the meeting lacks a clear agenda, you can prepare by asking yourself:
What updates or information might I need to share?
Are there questions I can ask to clarify my role or tasks?
💡 Action Tip: Review past meeting notes or related project details so you’re ready to participate meaningfully.
2. Use Active Listening to Stay Engaged: It’s easy to zone out during lengthy discussions, but staying engaged can help you spot key takeaways and opportunities to contribute.
Focus on understanding the goals and how they impact your tasks.
Take note of decisions or assignments that directly affect your role.
💡 Action Tip: If your mind starts to wander, jot down three key points being discussed to refocus.
3. Politely Advocate for Clarity: If a meeting feels unstructured or unclear, don’t hesitate to ask constructive questions that bring focus.
Example: “Can we summarize the key action points before moving on?”
Example: “What’s the priority for us after this discussion?”
💡 Action Tip: Frame your questions as helpful, not critical, to encourage a positive response.
4. Manage Your Energy Post-Meeting: After a meeting, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by information overload. Take a few moments to organize your thoughts:
Review your notes and identify the action items that need immediate attention.
Set mini-deadlines for yourself to tackle tasks efficiently.
💡 Action Tip: Use tools like task managers or sticky notes to break down tasks into smaller, manageable steps.
5. Batch Meetings Where PossibleIf meetings tend to scatter across your day, request to batch them together whenever you can.
Politely suggest scheduling meetings during blocks of time so you have uninterrupted periods for deep work.
Example: “Would it be possible to group similar discussions on [specific day/time] to streamline the process?”
💡 Action Tip: Use your calendar to block “focus time” and communicate it to your team as your dedicated work period.
6. Suggest Improvements ThoughtfullyIf meetings are consistently unproductive, share improvement ideas in a constructive way:
Example: “I noticed we sometimes run out of time. Would a time limit for each agenda point help us stay focused?”
💡 Action Tip: Observe what works in other meetings or teams and suggest those practices tactfully.
Reclaim Your Productivity
Meetings don’t have to feel like a waste of time. By adopting these small but impactful strategies, you can stay productive, engaged, and focused—even in situations where you don’t have full control.
🎯 Ready to transform your meetings from time-wasters to productivity powerhouses? Drop your email below, and I'll send you my exclusive PDF guide with my top 10 strategies to take back control of your time and to make meetings more meaningful and productive..
Remember: Your time is valuable. Spend it wisely.
Comments