Does your calendar ever look like a game of Tetris? I’d be lying if I said mine doesn’t from time to time.
Calendar management is a delicate balancing act that we all deal with on a routine basis. You’re not alone if you’ve asked yourself the following question:
How do I best carve out my workday to not only be there for my team, but also have time left over to accomplish my mission-critical tasks?
While it’s not possible to achieve this ideal balance overnight, I run through a quick three step checklist every time a calendar invite reaches my inbox.
Step 1: Is there an agenda?
The first thing I check for is whether an agenda is included with the meeting request.
A well-written agenda addresses several key points (which I plan to cover in a future article) but should, at the very least, provide you with the following:
- Purpose (why are people getting together?)
- Outcome (what is being decided or agreed upon?)
If you can’t gather the above from the agenda that was sent (or there isn’t an agenda to begin with), politely reach out to the meeting organizer to determine these details.
If the responses you receive lead you to decide that your attendance isn’t required, ask to be excused. Better yet, request that you be looped in on any post-meeting action items via email. The latter is a win-win — you demonstrate your willingness to be a part of the proceedings without sacrificing precious time on your calendar.
But let’s say a satisfactory agenda is in fact provided. Move onto Step 2.
Step 2: Who else is invited?
I’ve found over the course of my career that there’s an inverse relationship between the number of attendees on a meeting and the contribution expected of each participant.
If a colleague (or supervisor) invites you to a 1:1 chat (and provides an agenda), you’ll likely end up having to meet. And that’s totally okay!
Remember: Your goal isn’t to free up as much time on your calendar as possible. Your goal is to ensure each engagement on your calendar is time well spent.
For meetings between 3–10 participants, take a quick look at the attendee list to spot possible redundancies. Perhaps someone on your team is also invited. Does it really make sense for both of you to attend? Would it be okay for you to skip this time and the two of you can loop up afterwards for a short chat?
Regardless of the arrangement you decide upon, make sure both the meeting organizer and other relevant stakeholders are informed in advance.
If you’re invited to a larger meeting (10 + attendees), chances are you’ll have both an agenda ( ✅ Step 1) and at least one attendee redundancy to investigate further.
If, however, you can’t find a suitable replacement to attend in your place, move onto Step 3.
Step 3: What’s in it for me?
Not all meetings are made equal. Some require active input on the part of each attendee. Others are purely informational, scheduled across a team or the entire company to share key updates.
Once you’ve gathered the relevant context from Steps 1 and 2, take a minute to ask yourself what you stand to gain from taking part:
- Do I have something important to share?
- Do I expect the attendees to discuss (or decide upon) an important development that will affect me directly?
- Will my absence be detrimental to team dynamics and/or reflect poorly on my professional standing?
If you answer yes to any of these questions, plan on joining.
Otherwise, gauge to the best of your ability any alternatives that may be in scope. Find out if the meeting will be recorded (sometimes the case for company-wide meetings) or if multiple sessions are planned (especially if it’s a mandatory training).
Leveraging this checklist in your daily workflow will provide you a solid foundation to better manage your time, accomplish your goals, and achieve balance in your workday.
