Hello again. Today I want to share some thoughts on meetings—and why we should avoid them, especially when they start piling up and stop adding real value.

I used to set my meetings in the calendar with the color red—it was my favorite. But that changed quickly. One day, I glanced at my screen and realized it looked like it had been infected by some strange, aggressive virus. Sadly, it wasn't a virus—it was the visual result of too many meetings. Meetings I hadn't asked for or even agreed to. At times, I had up to five scheduled at the same time. Just pure madness.

If this is happening to you, take action. That means you've already started recognizing the problem: meetings are consuming your time and keeping you from doing meaningful work.

Yes, some roles require more talking, advising, and alignment than others. But no matter how senior you are, your responsibilities still include analyzing data, reading emails, responding to messages, following through on initiatives, and driving execution. And most of that work doesn't get done in meetings.

Meetings are a tool—a powerful one—but they are not a silver bullet. Use them to communicate, to align, to remove blockers. But don't confuse presence with progress, especially as a manager.

Take Control of Your Calendar

Here are three small but powerful steps to protect your time:

  1. Own your time. You're not just in charge of your calendar—you're responsible for using it wisely. Ask yourself: Why am I giving my time to someone else's priorities?
  2. Cancel unnecessary meetings. If a meeting has no clear objective or is poorly prepared, it doesn't deserve your time. Push back—gently but firmly.
  3. Decline when you're not needed. If your presence is optional or the meeting doesn't require your input, step away. Use that time to focus on deep work instead. Be polite, but protect your attention.

Make clear agreements with your teammates and stakeholders. Block time for lunch—it's not just a break, it's essential for your health and mental clarity.

Your Time Is Non-Renewable

Time is your most valuable asset. Unlike money or energy, once it's gone, it doesn't come back.

When you find time for everything, anything will take your time.
But when you're intentional with your time, only what truly matters will make it onto your calendar.

Here's one insight I'll leave you with: When you find time for everything, anything will take your time. But when you're intentional with your time, only what truly matters will make it onto your calendar.