Ever feel overwhelmed by back-to-back meetings? Ever wished you could have a day entirely free of them to focus on your work? You’re not alone. Leading tech companies like Shopify and Block, formerly Square, have adopted a “no-meeting day” policy to combat meeting fatigue and boost productivity.
Why ‘No-Meeting Day’?
Shopify kickstarted this trend last year by declaring Wednesday as a no-meeting day. Attempting to schedule a meeting on that day triggers an automated Slack reminder, nudging employees to reconsider. The idea? To give employees an uninterrupted block of time to focus on their tasks.
Recently, Block, the fintech firm led by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, followed suit, designating Tuesday as its no-meeting day. This news was greeted with enthusiasm by Kristen Anderson, product lead for Block’s Cash App, who celebrated the move, saying, “So @jack made Tuesdays a ‘No Meeting Day’ across Block, and I am unbelievably pumped…Less talk about the work. More work. Here for it.”
Meeting Fatigue: A Real Problem
Jeff Stephens, CTO at Dignari, echoed Anderson’s sentiments, pointing out that meeting fatigue is a real issue and can hinder quality work. He tweeted, “This really needs to become standard practice. Meeting fatigue is real and not just due to the quantity of meetings. Many times it’s just a few meetings but they are sprinkled throughout the day just enough to prevent real quality work being done in the gaps.”
Paul Graham, co-founder of the startup accelerator Y Combinator and a revered voice in Silicon Valley, has been vocal about the problem of excessive meetings. In a 2009 post, “Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule,” he outlined the contrasting views of meetings held by a maker (programmer or writer) and a manager. He pointed out that while a manager’s schedule often consists of back-to-back meetings, a maker requires at least half a day to get real work done. An unexpected meeting can be a disaster for a maker, breaking their workflow into pieces too small for any meaningful work.
Does ‘No-Meeting Day’ Work for Everyone?
Despite the enthusiasm for no-meeting days, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. In August last year, Zoom announced an end to its no-meeting Wednesday policy. CEO Eric Yuan stated that the policy was more of a barrier to collaboration than intended, particularly for a global company operating across multiple time zones.
Nevertheless, the no-meeting day concept has garnered widespread interest. It aligns with a growing recognition that to foster productivity and creativity, employees need uninterrupted time to work. And while it might not be the perfect solution for every organization, it’s undoubtedly a conversation-starter about how to better manage meetings and work time.
As the debate continues, it might be worth considering how you could implement a similar policy in your own work environment. After all, the ultimate goal is to create a work culture that values productivity, creativity, and employee well-being above all else. So, are you ready for a no-meeting day?
