This meeting hack is a game changer for productivity

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It’s no secret — at least it shouldn’t be for longtime Saturday readers — that I hate meetings, but I recently unlocked a new solution that I have to shout from the rooftops for other meeting haters like me.

I initially wrote about my disdain for meetings last November when I was averaging 18.3 hours a week in meetings, or about half my workday. If you can believe it, it has only increased since then, as my Google calendar indicates that I’m now spending 19 hours a week in meetings.

And that doesn’t account for the time it takes to prepare for those meetings and execute any follow-up.

I’m not alone. A 2025 Microsoft study that analyzed employees’ workplace habits from 31 countries found that, on average, employees are interrupted every two minutes “by meetings, emails, or pings.” A 2023 Microsoft study found that inefficient meetings were the top productivity culprit, with 68% of respondents reporting a lack of time to focus during their workdays.

So, how did I free myself from non-stop meetings? I decided to stack them on only two days of my workweek. It left the rest of my week to actually complete my to-do list — for once.

Meeting stacking, as I’m calling it, first requires communicating my goal to my team and having them understand why I’m doing it. It also requires flexibility. For example, if my manager wants to meet, we’re meeting.

Still, in general, it’s been transformative for my productivity. I no longer have to switch back and forth between meetings and heads-down work, which can be challenging. It also allows me more time to think, create, and ideate on the days when I’m not having face-to-face meetings.

Want to try it? Please do, and tell me how it goes for you.

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