'My calendar is full and often double-booked'
'I have to be seen attending some meetings, even though they are not purposeful'
'I have no time; I have to work at night and at the weekend to get the job done'

Real comments, real people, real life here and now. Our pace of work has accelerated significantly, and our way of working has not evolved at the same speed.

The average employee spends about 23 hours per week in meetings —more than double the time spent in the 1960s. Additionally, 67% of employees believe that too many meetings prevent them from getting their actual work done, and 70% feel that most meetings are unproductive leaving little room for deep, focused work—the kind of work that drives innovation and long-term success.

So how do we create space for meaningful work, for creativity and innovation? At LAMPartnership we support teams to lead with purpose. Take some time to reconnect to your purpose as a leader, your teams contribution to the organisation - what is it only you can do? What really matters in this moment and what you can do that most moves the dial. With that in mind you can review the meeting schedule to see where you are most needed. Recent studies show that teams with fewer, more purposeful meetings report higher engagement and satisfaction and leads to clearer decision making and more efficient workflows.

Prioritise essential meetings and be clear about the purpose. Eliminate or shorten those that are not business critical.

All recurring meetings in the calendar are deleted every quarter and their current business benefit verified.

Encourage employees to make decisions independently, reducing the need for frequent check-ins or approval meetings.

Create designated "no-meeting" times or days, allowing employees to engage in deep work without interruptions.

Do not immediately accept - give yourself at least 20 minutes before you accept a meeting and review all meetings on a weekly basis.

Introduce "silent meetings," where team members collaborate through shared documents or project management tools without speaking. This forces clarity of thought and allows everyone to contribute without the pressure of real-time discussion.

Replace some sit-down meetings with walking meetings or brief outdoor sessions. This not only reduces meeting time but also promotes physical activity and creative thinking.