How can you manage time during meetings and work effectively?
Işıl Akdemir
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Ben Parkison@benparkison
This is my jam (trelliswork.com). Without getting on too much of a soapbox here: The time teams actually spend together is some of the most critical time at an organization. It's not just about productivity - it's alignment, engagement, buy-in, team culture, team autonomy... and also productivity and getting stuff done. And all of this is x100 if we're talking about hybrid/remote. In that world, team meetings are literally the space in which a company exists. A few thoughts:
Agendas - A few people have said it, but to go a step further. Bulleted list agendas in meeting notices suck. Agendas should be collaborative and dynamic. This should be the team's space to continually track (before, during, after the meeting) "How are we going to use our time together when it comes?"
Track - discussion, tasks, delegation, decisions. Again, this time matters so much. I'm biased, but general purpose tools like docs or wikis for this are no good - WAy too much overhead to make it useful.
Team effort - Just because a meeting is fast and covers the topics doesn't mean it accomplished anything. Meetings need to be collaborative efforts. Everyone needs to know what they're trying to do together, and be able to be a part of that discussion/effort. This is a space that managers/leads/whatever have to be intentional about creating.
Check us out, this is exactly what we care about: trelliswork.com
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Set specific time limits for each agenda item, and make sure to stick to them as closely as possible.
Encourage participants to come prepared, with any materials or information they need to present or discuss.
Use technology to keep the meeting organized and on track, such as virtual meeting software, which can help with keeping attendance, tracking action items, and sharing documents.
Encourage open communication and actively listen to all participants, to avoid getting bogged down in unnecessary discussions or debates.
Take breaks as needed, to prevent fatigue and maintain focus.
Follow up on action items after the meeting to ensure progress is made on important tasks.
Be mindful of the time and try to wrap up the meeting on schedule, to respect the time of all participants.
For meetings, I prefer keeping my videos on. It increases productivity and engagement.
I think @deep_k has some good thoughts. The biggest bang for your buck is simply the first item: set an agenda and send it out beforehand.
All the time management falls out of this - if you define what you'll talk about, you'll get feedback beforehand about priority and (maybe) what's missing. And that leads to asynchronous prep that will help the time together to be more effective.
The agenda can't be too long or too short - that's where the art of management comes in. ;)
@aamir Absolutely !!
Setting specific time limits for each agenda item and sticking to them as closely as possible can help ensure that meetings are productive and efficient. By setting time limits, you can ensure that all relevant information is discussed within a reasonable timeframe and prevent discussions from getting sidetracked or becoming overly lengthy. Additionally, by sticking to the time limits, you can help ensure that the meeting ends on time and that attendees are able to move on to other tasks or meetings. It also helps to keep the meeting organized and focus on the important topics.
Setting Agenda is probably the most impactful change to make meetings more effective. The agenda should set out the goals and context if necessary to help everyone get on the same page.
I've also found it very useful in the past to make sure someone is assigned to take notes.
Consciously steering back the discussion when it goes in a tangent is critical too - sounds simple enough to do, but easy to forget about
Hi, I usually scheduled things and work accordingly. Moreover, I also called regular meetings to discuss upcoming monthly tasks. Therefore, my team members always familiar their duties and put their work effectively. The reason behind Espresso shaker kitchen cabinets success is actually that specific pattern.
When it comes to managing time during meetings, it is important to plan ahead and be mindful of the time that you have available. Start by setting realistic and achievable goals. This will help you to stay focused on the tasks at hand and ensure that there is enough time to cover all topics that need to be discussed. Additionally, delegate tasks, draw up a detailed agenda, and assign roles within the team to ensure that everyone is accountable for their role and that work is completed in a timely manner.
It is also important to stay on track during meetings, encouraging all members to stay on topic and stay within the allocated time frame. Encourage the use of visual aids, such as slideshows, to keep the conversation going and to keep the team focused and motivated.Kerry is an excellent resource when it comes to finding tools to manage time and collaborate effectively during meetings. With their efficient management tools, teams can stay on task and complete their work quickly and efficiently.
Effective time management during meetings and work includes setting clear goals and objectives, prioritizing tasks, and staying organized. It's also important to schedule regular breaks to prevent burnout and maintain focus. Additionally, it can be helpful to establish ground rules for meetings, such as setting a specific agenda and allocating specific time blocks for each topic, and ensuring that all attendees are prepared and on-topic. Finally, it's crucial to learn how to say "no" to non-essential tasks or meetings that will distract from your priorities.
Everyone mentioned setting time limits and creating agendas for effective meetings.
These days, I prefer to record important meetings. People may present many important ideas, but these may end up in the void. I can visit the old meeting records and go over them pretty fast. Help a lot.
If you want to level up that hack, some new tools can create text records from meetings automatically. Then you can share them as meeting minutes.
But the best meeting is the one that never took place 😃
@ardadiker I also believe that the best meetings are the ones that don't have to be initiated. I am developing such a product in the Japanese market.
@jin_feng2 Good luck Jin 😇 If you can make such a product, I am sure millions of people would be thankful.
@ardadiker We at Felo Meet (https://felomeet.com) provide some of the solutions. Check out our introductory video: .
We had a document-based meeting to ensure:
1. All agendas are documented
2. Pre-meeting communication, information sharing and commenting
3. Documented action items post-meeting for review in future meetings.
Upcoming additions include:
1. Read/unread status for pre-meeting document
2. Reminders for overdue agenda items.