The Psychology Behind Meeting Overload

The Psychology Behind Meeting Overload

Ever wondered why meetings can feel overwhelming? Delve into the psychological aspects of meeting overload, exploring how it impacts productivity and mental well-being. Uncover the science behind this phenomenon and learn strategies to manage it effectively.

Bad meetings are the bane of the corporate world

and yet despite an overwhelming consensus that they’re often unnecessary and unproductive, many workplaces continue to struggle to avoid them.

Meeting FOMO

Deeply ingrained norms around what it means to be an “ideal worker” lead us to equate presence with productivity

Meeting Amnesia

Schedule a short five-minute team debrief after key internal and external calls to ensure no one forgets what was discussed in the last meeting.

Selfish Urgency

Leaders will schedule meetings whenever convenient for them, without necessarily considering their teams’ needs or schedules

Pluralistic ignorance

This bias leads us to continue to schedule and attend meetings even when everyone secretly agrees that they’re useless

Meetings as Commitment Devices

An external deadline can be an effective motivator, but a meeting itself is often unnecessary

The Mere Urgency Effect

When we are stressed, completing seemingly urgent (yet actually unimportant) tasks can provide some relief

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