Death By Meeting

My mom worries that I’m going to die while adventuring. I worry I’m going to die while meeting.

I spend too many hours in meetings.

There, I said it. Somehow, I feel a little better.

Seriously though, I’m having one of those days where I’m trying to figure out how I’m supposed to work on – let alone finish – the various projects that I’m trying to complete.

Of course, maybe the number of hours I spend in meetings is normal. Maybe it’s par for the course.

I have to say, even if it is par for the course, I feel that it’s entirely too many hours. For example, this week I’ve spent a total of 15 hours in meetings – 4 hours on Monday, 8 hours on Tuesday¹, and 3 hours today. Over three work days², or 21 hours³, that amounts to more than 70% of my time.

Seventy percent!
In meetings!

Surely this has to be too much.

And believe it or not, this week is actually light in terms of total hours spent in meetings. I know for a fact that most weeks are worse.

So, I guess the questions I have are as follows:

1. Is this normal?
2. How does one sit through this many meetings and still accomplish things?
3. How does one sit through this many meetings and not stab themselves in the eye?

On the plus side, not all of my meetings are adventures in soul-sucking. Some of my meetings are quite productive, especially those with my students. Those meetings often leave me pumped up and wanting to do more work. I’m also often stoked because I know that some of the students will end up with their first publications (and I’ll somehow get to help out with that). But most of all, I’m thrilled because I get to work with and learn so much from the students.

I just wish sometimes that not every week required so many meetings.

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¹ That’s right, 8 hours. Gah.

² Technically Wednesday was a day off, although I did spend a few hours working from home.

³ My paycheque apparently believes that I only work 35 hours a week, or 7 hours a day. Ha! Too funny.

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• 7 Tips on how to conduct a productive meeting (goodmorningmarketer.wordpress.com)
• Get More Out of Your Meetings: Tips for Leading More Productive & Efficient Meetings (grasshopper.com)
• Bring On The Long Weekend (consumedbywanderlust.wordpress.com)
• Working About Work (jrodthoughts.com)