1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:15,080 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:21,320 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to let go of meeting fomo. Don't 4 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,239 Speaker 1: consign yourself to attending more meetings than you need to 5 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: because of fear of missing out. Today's tip comes from 6 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:34,159 Speaker 1: an article in the Harvard Business Review, the Psychology of 7 00:00:34,280 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 1: Meeting Overload. In the article, authors Ashley Willains, Dave Feldman, 8 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:44,640 Speaker 1: and Damien Wisnowski explore reasons people plan and attend more 9 00:00:44,680 --> 00:00:48,159 Speaker 1: meetings than they have to, even though people see meetings 10 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: as in the author's words, the number one office productivity killer. 11 00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:58,960 Speaker 1: One of those reasons for attending meetings meeting FOMO the 12 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 1: fear of missing out. I'm guessing that part of you 13 00:01:03,240 --> 00:01:05,320 Speaker 1: is saying a lot of meetings are pointless, or at 14 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 1: least pointless for some of the people there. Why would 15 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 1: anyone fear missing out on them? And I'm guessing that 16 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,319 Speaker 1: maybe another part of you is admitting that you have 17 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: sometimes gone to meetings you don't absolutely have to because 18 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 1: it stresses you out to imagine these meetings happening without 19 00:01:22,920 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 1: you in them. It may be irrational, but it is real. 20 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:31,280 Speaker 1: According to the article, people are afraid they will be 21 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:35,440 Speaker 1: judged negatively if they don't attend meetings, or that their 22 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:40,160 Speaker 1: absence won't be noticed at all. When we equate presence 23 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:44,080 Speaker 1: with productivity. As the authors put it, people hesitate to 24 00:01:44,160 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 1: decline a meeting for fear people will see them as 25 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 1: unproductive and unimportant. This is ironic, of course, since attending 26 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: a meeting that doesn't really require your presence is a 27 00:01:56,960 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: great way to waste an hour, exactly the definition of 28 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:05,080 Speaker 1: being productive. So what do we do if we know 29 00:02:05,160 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 1: that a lot of meetings aren't a great use of 30 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,760 Speaker 1: time for us personally, but we are afraid of how 31 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,720 Speaker 1: people will judge us or forget about us if we 32 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:18,280 Speaker 1: don't attend. The authors suggest that people who decline meeting 33 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: invitations provide their insights before the meeting. I think this 34 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 1: is great advice. If you are invited to a meeting 35 00:02:26,600 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: that you don't actually need to attend, or that a 36 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:34,280 Speaker 1: schedule conflict prevents you from attending, send your contributions in advance. 37 00:02:35,320 --> 00:02:39,320 Speaker 1: Review the agenda and think through any knowledge or information 38 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:44,079 Speaker 1: or questions that could benefit the team. Send clear notes 39 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:46,799 Speaker 1: to the meeting organizers or to the whole team. If 40 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 1: that's how your office works and the list of attendees 41 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: is small, it could be helpful to group your notes 42 00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: by agenda item so that the meeting leader can glance 43 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: at your notes during the relevant section of the meeting. 44 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: Even though you are not present, you are participating. That 45 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 1: sounds like a win to me. The authors also have 46 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: suggestions for meeting organizers. Avoid inviting people to meetings simply 47 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 1: because you are concerned that they would be hurt if 48 00:03:17,919 --> 00:03:23,359 Speaker 1: they weren't invited. It's not a kid's birthday party. Instead, 49 00:03:23,480 --> 00:03:26,040 Speaker 1: you can avoid any hurt feelings by reaching out to 50 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 1: them beforehand to get their insights. Through a quick phone 51 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 1: call or email exchange or hallway conversation, they can contribute 52 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: their insights to the meeting without sinking an hour into 53 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: attending it. Don't let meeting fomo lead you to spend 54 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: all your time in meetings or to invite people whose 55 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 1: presence isn't needed for the particular meetings you plan. Instead, 56 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: look for additional ways to weigh in on important topics 57 00:03:55,120 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 1: and leave space available for activities that are a better 58 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: use of your hours. In the meantime, this is Laura, 59 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:10,080 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of 60 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: our time. Hey everybody, I'd love to hear from you. 61 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:22,559 Speaker 1: You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else. 62 00:04:23,279 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at 63 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast Pod. That's b E the number four, then 64 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 1: Breakfast p o D. You can also shoot me an 65 00:04:35,240 --> 00:04:39,039 Speaker 1: email at Before Breakfast podcast at i heeart media dot 66 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 1: com that Before Breakfast is spelled out with all the letters. 67 00:04:42,600 --> 00:04:44,680 Speaker 1: Thanks so much, I look forward to staying in touch. 68 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:53,600 Speaker 1: Before Breakfast is a production of I Heart Radio. For 69 00:04:53,720 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 1: more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the i heart 70 00:04:56,839 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 71 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 1: favorite shows. Yeah m