Ever walked out of a meeting and thought, “That could’ve been an email”? You’re not alone. In fact, across teams — from startups to large enterprise departments — unnecessary meetings quietly eat into the time we need for actual work.
The tricky part? Meetings often feel productive. But if you’re spending more time talking about work than doing it, something’s off.
This article isn’t just another rant about bad meetings. It’s a practical guide to figuring out when to have a meeting, what time slots actually work (yes, timing matters), and how to spot when a calendar invite is just a glorified distraction.
Whether you're leading a product team in Berlin, running operations in Madrid, or managing remote teams from Dublin to Helsinki, this is about making meetings work for you, not the other way around.
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Let’s be honest: most meetings aren’t bad — they’re just badly used.
People usually mean well. They want clarity, alignment, or to make sure nothing slips through the cracks. But when every decision, update, or question becomes a 30-minute video call, the day vanishes — and so does focus.
According to Atlassian, the average professional loses 31 hours a month to meetings that go nowhere. That’s a week’s worth of time — every single month — spent nodding, multitasking, or wondering why this couldn’t have been written down.
And it's not just about time. Constant meetings slow decisions, fatigue teams, and kill momentum. Especially if you're coordinating across time zones or juggling multiple stakeholders.
If you can build a culture that treats meetings as the exception, not the default, everything gets sharper: your communication, your calendar, and your results.
You’ve probably sat through meetings where no one knew why they were there. Maybe it started with “just a quick sync” and somehow became a 45-minute spiral with no real outcome.
Here’s the truth: most meetings don’t need to exist. And the ones that do? They only work when they serve a very clear purpose.
Before you send that next invite, ask yourself:
“Do we really need to meet, or are we just filling space on the calendar?”
There are only three good reasons to schedule a meeting:
You’ve got options on the table. You need input. And it’s time to pick a path forward. Meetings are great for this — if they end in an actual decision (not just more discussion).
Sometimes the best ideas come from bouncing thoughts around live. Especially when there’s a mix of perspectives. Just make sure the brainstorm has focus — or it quickly becomes a waffle-fest.
Objections, concerns, gut feelings — they matter. If someone on the team sees a problem or disagrees with direction, giving them space to speak (and be listened to) keeps trust intact. And sometimes, it saves the project.
Perfect for quick questions, small updates, or clarifying something without killing momentum. Bonus: it doesn’t interrupt deep work the same way a meeting does.
Google Docs, Notion, Confluence — they’re built for collaboration. Add comments, track changes, and make decisions without jumping on a call. It’s cleaner and leaves a trail.
Need to explain something in more depth? Record a quick Loom or drop a voice note. It’s faster, more personal than text, and doesn’t need to be scheduled.
Asana, Trello, ClickUp — whatever you use, make it the source of truth. If everyone’s aligned in the task board, you don’t need a meeting to check in.
Also worth noting: written communication is more traceable. In many industries — and especially across the EU — having things documented matters. It’s clearer. Safer. And often, more efficient.
Bottom line: Meetings shouldn’t be your go-to. Use them when you need to connect, not just when you want to communicate.
Even when you’ve got a solid reason to meet, timing can make or break it. Ever tried running a strategy session at 4:30 PM on a Friday? You’ll get nods, sure — but not much thinking.
If you're wondering when meetings actually work best, here's what to keep in mind:
Studies — and real-world experience — suggest people are most alert between 10:00 and 11:30 AM, and again around 1:00 to 2:30 PM. Before that, we’re settling in. After that, we’re clock-watching.
Mondays are for catching up. Fridays are for mentally checking out. Meetings at either end of the week are more likely to be rushed or half-baked.
If your team stretches across Berlin, Amsterdam, and Lisbon — or even further — find overlap windows that work for everyone. For EU teams, mid-morning Central European Time tends to hit the sweet spot.
Long meetings aren’t more productive — just more tiring. If it can be done in 20 minutes, don’t book 30. And if 10 will do, even better.
Quick tip: Use a scheduling tool that automatically factors in working hours and time zones. It’ll save you a lot of back-and-forth — and help avoid 7 AM “surprise calls”.
Let’s be real: if a meeting doesn’t leave everyone with clarity, action, and accountability, what was the point?
Here’s a down‑to‑earth formula I follow to make meetings meaningful — rather than memory‑draining:
Shoot a quick follow‑up message that includes:
Bonus: keep a running log of those summaries. It’s a goldmine when you’re trying to spot recurring issues — or prove that the next meeting is really necessary.
If you're looking to level up your virtual meetings — from setup to follow‑up — check out our blog about 15 virtual meeting best practices for better online collaboration. It’s packed with easy-to-implement tips like setting agendas, testing tech, coordinating time zones, privacy measures, engagement tools, and more.
Meetings aren’t evil. But the wrong meetings, at the wrong times, for the wrong reasons? That’s how you end up with burnt-out teams and wasted calendars.
The goal is simple:
When you treat meetings as a strategic tool rather than a default setting, they start to do what they’re meant to do: build trust, unlock decisions, and keep teams moving in the same direction.
By making a few smarter choices — about purpose, timing, and alternatives — you’ll save hours each week, sharpen communication, and create a culture where meetings are energising, not exhausting.
And if you’re ready to cut wasted time and streamline collaboration even further, Digital Samba can help.
✅ Save hours per week
✅ Run secure, EU-compliant video meetings
✅ Improve both internal teamwork and client calls