I've asked 20 managers a simple question: "What wastes your time the most?"

The answer was unanimous. But before I reveal it, here's some context - each of them has been:

• a manager for over 2 years,

• leading a team of at least 8 people,

• part of a company of 100+ employees,

• operating in different industries and regions,

• and working at a middle management level (up to B-1).

So what was the answer?

Meetings.

(Not customer or vendor meetings. In-house meetings.)

Now, they weren't saying all meetings are bad. But here's what they told me about the meetings they attend:

• 20% are entirely unnecessary.

• 40% are way too long for what they deliver.

• 10% are repetitive because not everyone followed through on what was agreed.

• Only 30% are actually good: focused, structured, attended by the right people, and resulting in clear decisions or next steps.

And this isn't just a once-in-a-while thing. On an average week, they attend 3.5 meetings per day.

They acknowledge that a high volume of meetings is expected during situations like starting a new product or strategic changes. But these numbers reflect normal weeks.

At peak times? Half of them spend the entire day in meetings!

In this blog, I will break down what causes ineffective meetings and the simple, practical routine that helped me reclaim my time.

So, what's going wrong?

The real problem isn't meetings. It's a meeting culture

• The "Let's sit down and talk" reflex.

• The "Would be good if you could join too" mentality.

• The 5-word calendar invite with no context, no agenda, no prep.

• The structureless conversation that derails in the first 5 minutes.

• The endings with no conclusion and no accountability.

This is what's burning time, energy, and attention in teams across industries.

If your calendar is overflowing, it might not be because you're doing important work. It might be because your meeting culture is broken.

If you're in too many meetings, one of five things might be happening:

1. You're drifting from your core priorities.
You're saying yes to everything. Another project, another client, another "quick sync." This issue can linger down from the top management. But real growth often comes from what you stop doing.

2. Someone is avoiding decisions.
If you need five people in the room to make a basic call, it's not about collaboration. It's about avoiding responsibility.

3. You're not delegating.
If your team is capable and trusted, you shouldn't need to attend every meeting. (Unless your ego insists you must.)

4. You're not following up.
No one is tracking outcomes. So issues resurface, and meetings get repeated.

5. You never audit your own calendar.
You complain about wasted time—but are you the one sending vague invites?

And here's the part most people never consider: meetings cost money.

 Let's say you book a 1-hour meeting with 6 people. Each earns roughly 50€/hour.

That meeting costs 300€. If they're senior? It could easily exceed 1,000€.

Now ask: Will this meeting generate that much value?

If not, multiply that across the month. You're looking at thousands of euros lost in productivity. For what?

• Vague notes.

• Repetitive meetings.

• People still unclear on what to do next.

The emotional toll is real, too.

People arrive at their actual work already fatigued.

Creative energy? Spent in Zoom rooms.
Decision-making? Eroded by constant context switching.

Imagine this day:

• A heated meeting at 9:00.

• A brainstorming session at 10:00—but your brain's still stuck in the last meeting.

• A client call at 11:30—all fine, but your brain adds thoughts about your inadequate contribution at that brainstorming session.

• Three more meetings in the afternoon, where you're seriously questioning the purpose and the attendees.

By 5 PM, you're drained, unfocused, and haven't done a single piece of meaningful work.

Now repeat that, week after week.

Over time, people disengage. Not because they don't care—but because they've been in too many meetings where nothing changed.

So what's the alternative?

Here's the structure I use:

1. Purpose + context in every invite.
I always include the reason we're meeting, the problem we're solving, and supporting materials so people can prepare. No agenda = no meeting.

2. Clear ownership.
If I called it, I'm running it. No chaos, no drifting.

3. Structure + outcome.
I start on time. I end on time. I end with: Who does What by When.

4. Written summary.
A short recap goes out post-meeting. It creates clarity and a paper trail.

5. Follow-up.
I always follow up on next steps. Not to micromanage—but to make sure we're moving forward.

And finally, I ask myself:
Can this be solved in a short voice note, mail, or async video?
If yes, no meeting. Simple.

What gets in the way?

• Ego. Wanting to be seen. Feeling important.

• Fear. Fear of missing out, misalignment, or making the wrong call.

• Habit. Meetings are the default. Change feels awkward.

However, meetings should be the last resort, not the first reaction.

Culture eats calendar for breakfast

You can set all the rules you want. But if your team treats meetings as the go-to for every update, nothing will change.

Change happens when people start asking:

• Is this meeting really necessary?

• What outcome are we aiming for?

• Who actually needs to be here?

And when people show up prepared, stay engaged, and leave with clarity.

Final thoughts

Meetings aren't the enemy. Poorly run, unnecessary meetings are.

Done well, meetings are a powerful tool for alignment, decision-making, and momentum.

But done poorly, they're silent productivity killers.

So if you're serious about saving time, boosting team effectiveness, and creating a healthier work rhythm:

Audit your meetings.
Track how many you attend, how much time they take, and what actual value they deliver.

You might be shocked by the results. I was.

And once you see it, you can start doing something about it.

Because here's the truth:

Your team doesn't need more meetings.
They need more clarity, focus, and time to do the work that matters.

And that starts with you.

ACTION STEPS:

1. Audit your meetings for a week. Which were useful? Which were noise?

2. Say no. Decline any invite without a clear agenda or purpose.

3. Shrink the time. Default to 15 or 30 minutes.

4. Protect your deep work. Schedule meetings around it.

5. Celebrate what works. Recognize great meetings and repeat the formula.

Small changes compound. Culture shifts. And people get their time back.