Meetings are a necessary part of doing business, but scheduling too many can be unproductive and an inefficient use of valuable time. Studies show 11 million business meetings are held in the U.S. each day, and employees spend 37% of their time in meetings. However, a survey from Slack shows employees feel overburdened when they have more than two hours of meetings in a day.
No-Meeting Days May Be the Solution
No-meeting days can give your team ample time to focus and prioritize their most important work without distractions. Companies that implemented designated no-meeting days, quiet weeks, and even a meeting-less month saw improved work-life balance, increased productivity, and clearing of backlogged to-do lists.
Interruptions are unavoidable, and meetings are inherently disruptive. Research from the University of California Irvine shows 82% of interrupted work is continued on the same day, but it takes more than 23 minutes to return to a task.
Reducing meeting length and frequency, and implementing strategies for meeting-less times, can satisfy the need for fewer distractions and more focus time for employees. Changing meeting structure can also help boost engagement and productivity.
We are more connected than ever, so even during designated no-meeting times, mission critical communication can still take place. Be clear about exceptions to ensure your employees understand when interruptions for time-sensitive needs are appropriate.
The goal of taking a break from meetings is to clear calendars and minds to benefit efficiency and productivity. This strategy shouldn’t compromise culture. No-meeting times shouldn’t ban communication or conversation, but everyone should prioritize the purpose of focusing with limited interruptions.
