Meeting Madness: How Much Time Gets Lost in Meetings?
Meeting madness fills up your calendar faster than anything else, especially if you’re a manager or business leader. The expectation to schedule, run, and attend meetings seems to signal importance, yet the numbers tell a different story.
Managers and leaders spend close to 23 hours per week in meetings, with nearly 50% of that time considered unproductive. Employees on average spend 11.3 hours per week in meetings, which is about 28% of the workweek. Senior managers now spend more time in meetings than ever before, and the number of meetings has tripled since 2020.
Have you ever looked at your calendar and wondered when you’ll actually get your real work done? You’re not alone. Meetings have become the default way to communicate, brainstorm, and make decisions. Yet, how many times have you sat through an hour-long meeting only to realise the real action happened in the last ten minutes?
Here’s what really happens in those meetings:
- 45% of meetings are 30 minutes long, but many still default to an hour.
- Only 37% of meetings use an agenda, making it easy for discussions to drift.
- 73% of professionals multitask during meetings, and 52% lose attention within the first 30 minutes.
- 46% of professionals attend three or more meetings per day.
- Scheduling meetings also eats up time, with 43% of people spending three or more hours a week just organising them.
Many issues could be sorted with a quick five-minute chat, a phone call, or by popping your head into the other person’s office, yet there’s a strong pull towards formal meetings. This culture leads to lost productivity and missed opportunities for focused work. Think about the last meeting you attended. Did everyone need to be there? Was there a clear agenda? Did you leave with action points, or just more questions? Imagine the impact if every meeting felt purposeful and energising.
Do you want to make your meetings work for you?
- Set meetings for 15 or 30 minutes instead of the default hour.
- Use quick chats or calls for simple updates or decisions.
- Share a clear agenda before every meeting.
- Invite only those who need to contribute.
- Start and finish on time.
Ask yourself: How much of your week is spent in meetings that could be replaced with a quick video or phone call, and how much more could your team achieve with fewer, shorter, and more focused meetings, leaving you with more time for deep work and less time spent in endless discussions?
Break the cycle of meeting madness. Make every meeting count and free up your time for what matters most. Your team—and your calendar—will show the results.
If you’re ready to see real results and boost your team’s productivity, you can start by making your meetings shorter, sharper, and more purposeful. You can also get in touch with us for assistance and support with practical ways to reclaim valuable time and energise your workplace. We’re here to help you build smarter habits and create a culture where every minute counts. Let’s work together to make your workday more productive and rewarding.