Tips for Scheduling Meetings and Tasks

Anyone else suffer from meeting overload? It’s a big deal. Simply put too many meetings means less time available for actual work, plus constantly attending meetings can be mentally draining, and often they simply are not required to accomplish the agenda items. At the same time sometimes it’s unavoidable. No matter where you are in your career, here are a few ways that I tackle this topic so that I can be my best and hold myself accountable to how my time is spent. I take 15 minutes every Friday to look at the week ahead and what is on my calendar. I follow these tips to ensure what is on the calendar should be and that I’m prepared. It ensures that I have a relevant and focused communications approach, and enables me to focus on optimizing productivity, outcomes and impact. 1. Review the meeting agenda. If there’s no agenda I send an email asking for one so you know exactly what you need to prepare for, and can ensure your time is correctly prioritized. You may discover you’re actually not the correct person to even attend. If it’s your meeting, set an agenda because accountability goes both ways. 2. Define desired outcomes. What do you want/need from the meeting to enable you to move forward? Be clear about it with participants so you can work collaboratively towards the goal in the time allotted. 3. Confirm you need the meeting. Meetings should be used for difficult or complex discussions, relationship building, and other topics that can get lost in text-based exchanges. A lot of times though we schedule meetings that we don’t actually require a meeting to accomplish the task at hand. Give ourselves and others back time and get the work done without that meeting. 4. Shorten the meeting duration. Can you cut 15 minutes off your meeting? How about 5? I cut 15 minutes off some of my recurring meetings a month ago. That’s 3 hours back in a week I now have to redirect to high impact work. While you’re at it, do you even need all those recurring meetings? It’s never too early for a calendar spring cleaning. 5. Use meetings for discussion topics, not FYIs. I save a lot of time here. We don’t need to speak to go through FYIs (!) 6. Send a pre-read. The best meetings are when we all prepare for a meaningful conversation. If the topic is a meaty one, send a pre-read so participants arrive with a common foundation on the topic and you can all jump straight into the discussion and objectives at hand. 7. Decline a meeting. There’s nothing wrong with declining. Perhaps you’re not the right person to attend, or there is already another team member participating, or you don’t have bandwidth to prepare. Whatever the reason, saying no is ok. What actions do you take to ensure the meetings on your calendar are where you should spend your time? It’s a big topic that we can all benefit from, please share your tips in the comments ⤵️ #careertips #productivity #futureofwork

EAs: Want to approach scheduling with true finesse? Start doing these things: 1. Understand your executive’s ultimate goal with each request and make sure that comes through clearly in your communication. 2. Your subject line is prime real estate — use it wisely. The recipient should understand the request before opening the email. 3. Not every meeting needs to be 30 minutes or an hour. Only request the time that’s truly needed. If 15 minutes is enough, let it be enough. 4. Play to the recipient’s ego. I said what I said. 5. Context is king. Is there a history of conversation between this person and your executive? Where did they leave off? Bring in the relevant details. 6. Set expectations up front. When do you need a response by and at what point will you be following up if you don’t get one? 7. Establish rapport with every single EA you liaise with. The same way you “manage access” to your executive, so do they. 8. Go the extra mile. Always communicate in the other person’s time zone — even if you have to look them up on LinkedIn. It makes scheduling and signals attention to detail. 9. Be human in your approach. If you’ve learned the client just got back from their honeymoon, lead with: “Hi [Name], I hear congrats are in order!” 10. Confirm and close the loop. Once the meeting is set, send a clear, concise confirmation that outlines the details. It ensures the time is well spent. It dawned on me this week (in conversation with the wonderful Lauren Bradley), that I wasn’t just “good” at scheduling as an EA — I was damn good at it. There wasn’t a meeting I couldn’t get booked. There wasn’t a person I couldn’t get a response from. And it wasn’t by chance. It came from being intentional — approaching scheduling on my executive’s behalf with finesse, keeping their ever-changing priorities top of mind and seeing it as an opportunity to build relationships. EAs, I’m curious: do you enjoy the hunt of making meetings happen? What else would you add? #executiveassistant #administrativeprofessionals

It's the most boring topic, but it also inspires some of the strongest opinions. What is it? ➡ Meetings There's either too many, or not enough. They're either a waste of time, or the best and most productive part of your week. They either have too little structure or too much. Here's what has worked for me: ⭐ Try to hold all one on ones on one day each week, and in general, pick one or two days of the week when you block your calendar and do NOT schedule meetings. ⭐ If a meeting is purely information (a readout), make it an email or a Slack update. ⭐ Every meeting should have an agenda, and the person who called the meeting should prep the agenda, and ensure notes are being taken and action items recorded (Hot tip: If you're a G Suite user, I love the "take meeting notes" feature in calendar invitations). ⭐ That being said ^^, the agenda doc should be collaborative and anyone attending the meeting should be expected to review the agenda in advance and add any discussion items they think are missing. ⭐ If it's a recurring meeting, have one document that acts as a rolling meeting agenda, notes doc, and to do list. Having everything in one place makes it easier to track progress week over week/month over month. ⭐ With recurring meetings, start each meeting by reviewing the action items from the previous meeting and specifically discuss anything that wasn't completed so there's a plan of action to ensure it gets done. ⭐ If your team is remote or hybrid, strongly encourage your team to be on camera. It's so much easier to read tone and develop a sense of connection with people when you can see their faces. It also makes it much easier to see if someone is actually paying attention and engaged in the meeting, or if they're multitasking. ⭐ Be clear about whether attendance at meetings is optional or required - and when it's required, insist that people show up and be on time. I've still got a lot of room for improvement when it comes to how I structure meetings and would love to hear what tips you all have for making your meetings great. Share your best tips in the comments 👇 #meetings #kathleenhq

We've all been there—calendar packed, back-to-back meetings, and by the end of the day, you wonder: "Did I really get anything done today?" It's a modern-day dilemma that can sap the energy of even the most focused professionals. Here’s how I tackle it: ⚡ **Guard your prime time**: Block off your most productive hours each day for deep, uninterrupted work. Meetings can wait. 🛠️ **Create an 'Urgent vs. Important' matrix**: Before you accept a meeting, ask: Is this mission-critical, or could it be addressed another way? Prioritize time for high-value activities that align with your goals. 💬 **Shorten your meetings**: Instead of defaulting to an hour, aim for 15-30 minutes and stay laser-focused on the agenda. ⛔ **Say no (gracefully)**: You don’t have to be in every conversation. Set boundaries. If your presence isn’t crucial, politely decline. 💡 **Leverage async tools**: If a quick update suffices, use email, Teams, or a shared document. Not every discussion requires a live meeting. 📅 **Set specific meeting days**: Designate a couple of days for calls and free the rest for execution time. 📈 **Hold 'walking meetings'**: Got a catch-up or status update? Take it on the go. It’ll boost your energy and creativity. 👥 **Bundle similar meetings together**: Consolidate team meetings, 1:1s, and quick syncs into one focused block. 📝 **Have a clear agenda and outcome**: Every meeting should have a purpose. If not, reconsider whether it’s necessary. Keep your focus on where it really matters. Meetings shouldn’t prevent you from doing what you’re best at: making an impact! How do YOU ensure meetings don’t consume your day? #ProductivityHacks #MeetingManagement #FocusTime #TimeManagement #Efficiency #LeadershipTips #WorkSmarter #SalesSuccess #ProductiveMindset

We don't prepare for effective meetings. But we can save time and boost outcomes with one rule. Here's how: Early in my career, I noticed meetings were often unproductive. 50% of the time was wasted without a clear agenda. So, I started using a 6-step formula to run meetings. 1. Prepare a Clear Agenda ↳ Create and distribute it in advance ↳ Include key topics: progress updates, challenges, tasks, decisions ↳ Set clear objectives for the meeting 2. Focus on Key Updates and Issues ↳ Start by reviewing action items from the previous meeting ↳ Have team members provide brief updates on their tasks and progress ↳ Discuss any roadblocks, challenges, or risks ↳ Prioritize the most important items for discussion 3. Encourage Participation ↳ Actively engage all team members to share updates and insights ↳ Allow time for problem-solving and brainstorming solutions 4. Manage Time Effectively ↳ Stick to the scheduled time for each agenda item ↳ Keep the meeting focused and on-track ↳ Consider setting a time limit for individual updates 5. Document Outcomes and Next Steps ↳ Assign clear action items and owners for follow-up tasks ↳ Summarize key decisions made and next steps ↳ Share meeting minutes/notes with all attendees afterward 6. Follow Up on Action Items ↳ Track commitments and hold people accountable. ↳ Ensure decisions are acted upon to maintain momentum Save this meeting rule: clear agenda → effective outcomes. Implement like a pro → Run meetings like a boss

Back-to-back meetings didn't make me more productive. They put me into burnout. People glorify staying busy as the price of success. But there's a more honest name for that pace: a boundary violation. One major adjustment in my own burnout recovery: Calendar Calm. Here's the system I rebuilt my work life around, and one my clients love. 👇 💾 Save this to redesign your work week. Today's Wisdom Wednesday... 9 Ways to Create a Calm Calendar. (Plus three bonus tips in the image) 1️⃣ Prioritize Stability. 👉 Build predictability into 30-50% of your schedule. 👉 Use standing times to create routines. 2️⃣ Protected Breaks. 👉 Schedule 2-3 breaks throughout the day. 👉 Treat them like non-negotiable meetings. 3️⃣ Defined Work Hours. 👉 Determine the beginning and end of your workday. 👉 Avoid work tasks outside those hours to build detachment. 4️⃣ Include Strategic Rest. 👉 Proactively put recovery activities into your work week. 👉 Exercise, social time, mindfulness, and hobbies boost productivity. 5️⃣ Track Energy Levels. 👉 Schedule focus work when you're at peak energy. 👉 Put admin tasks and team calls in low-energy windows. 6️⃣ Stop at 80% 👉 Leave 20% of your day/week unscheduled. 👉 Allow flex to handle last-minute projects. 7️⃣ Review Regularly. 👉 Take 20-45 minutes every week to plan ahead. 👉 Adjust accordingly for energy, workload and deadlines. 8️⃣ Use Proven Tools. 👉 Choose time management that works for your system. 👉 Try the Eisenhower Matrix, Pomodoro Technique, or a Two-Do list. 9️⃣ Ask for Feedback. 👉 Does your schedule strategy fit your job duties? 👉 Are you showing up when and how your team needs you? 💬 Which one will you try this week, 20% flex or protected breaks? 💾 Save + subscribe for weekly systems that build Sustainable Ambition: https://lnkd.in/gH2HnF3w

The freedom to control your calendar is one of the best parts of consulting. But that freedom needs structure. A lot of people become independent consultants to gain control of their calendar. Personally, I'm grateful for the chance to take a day off to see family without going through the bureaucracy first. But there's also the responsibility of taking care of your own calendar. You don't have the guardrails of a manager nudging you to finish a task. And if you're not careful, a "quick" admin task can eat up your whole day. When everything feels urgent, having a few time management frameworks helps. Here's what I recommend: Eat the Frog ↳ Do the task that carries the biggest risk for the client first. ↳ Block 60-90 minutes and get a solid version of that task done. Pickle Jar Theory ↳ Your calendar is like a jar. Focus on your main deliverables first, then the smaller tasks. ↳ Block deep-work time for your biggest tasks, and fill in the gaps with smaller ones. Eisenhower Matrix ↳ Sort your tasks based on urgency and importance. ↳ If it's urgent and important, do it now. If it's neither, drop it. Task Batching ↳ Group similar tasks into blocks to avoid wasting time. ↳ Stack meetings and calls together. Block out time for deep analysis. 1-3-5 Method ↳ Focus on delivering one big outcome, three medium tasks, and five small tasks. ↳ Choose them at the start of each day so you know what you're focusing on. Two-Minute Rule ↳ If a task takes about two minutes, do it immediately. ↳ Use it for small actions like approvals, short replies, or making small fixes. Pomodoro Technique ↳ Work in short focus sprints to maintain momentum on longer tasks. ↳ Do 25 minutes of work. Take a five-minute break. After four rounds, take a longer break. In the visual below, I've put in where best to use each strategy so you can work effectively. Everyone will have a framework or two that'll work best for them. Give one a try this week and see how it might help. If time management isn't your problem, but you still feel stuck growing your business, you might be in the wrong growth phase. My quiz helps you uncover what's holding you back, and gives you a roadmap of your next steps. You can take it for free here: https://lnkd.in/gve8CjUu 📨 If you're ready to book a call, send me a DM with the word "ready." ♻️ Repost this to help a fellow consultant. ➕ Follow Dale Gibbons to turn your genius into a 7-figure consulting business.