How to Mentally Prepare for Your Next Meeting in only 3-Minutes
People who run from one meeting to the next end the day wondering what they got done. You will lead better if you give yourself three minutes to mentally prepare for the next meeting.
You will survive if you don’t mentally prepare for your next meeting, but you won’t flourish.
How to mentally prepare for the next meeting in only 3-minutes
#1: Schedule a 3-minute break to prepare for the next meeting.
Back-to-back meetings dilute the quality of meetings and drain your energy.
The people at their best know how to rest.
Rule #1 could be, “Make back-to-back meetings a sin.”
The reason your day feels like a blur is because it is. End one thing before you begin the next.
#2: De-stress during breaktime.
Breaktime isn’t time to cram in one more task. Give yourself 3-minutes to de-stress. No email. No quick calls.
#3: Breathe deep for 60 seconds.
Have a micro-meditation session. Let stress leave your body.
#4: Honor imperfect accomplishments.
Your inner critic hates gratitude. He loves reminding you that you fell short. If perfection is the standard for gratitude, you’ll always be ungrateful.
Gratitude requires humility.
Use breaktime to notice what you did right.
You aren’t a complete loser. I know you did something right.
You might say to yourself, “I’m thankful I …,” or, “I’m glad I ….”
#5: Turn to the next thing with intention.
Think about the people you’re interacting with in the next meeting. Bring to mind something you admire about them. What are they doing right?
Determine how you want to show up. Often, I choose calm curiosity. I’m naturally curious, but not naturally calm. Calmness lets others know you’re comfortable with them and yourself.
How might leaders refuel energy in micro-moments?
Your mindfulness like suggestions and others are brilliant. Thank you Dan. If Leaders realise that People relate to them much more for what they(people) can be with the leader than what the leader is with them; meetings will be energising.
Thanks Nagarajan. Love the shift in focus from what a leader gets to what a leader gives.
To expand slightly on the deep breathing for 60 seconds, try the 4 -7 -8 breathing, breathe in on a 4 count – hold for a 7 count – exhale on an 8 count. Takes 80 seconds and will work wonders.
https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-4-7-8-breathing-5204438
Thanks for adding a practical technique, Melrose. Much appreciated.
I started living by this about 3 years ago – life-changing in how it can help re-energize and bring focus, awareness, and patience to make the next meeting more productive. I also try to have a few minutes after a meeting in order to capture next actions. Thanks for posting this!
Thanks CG. I love the change this makes in my approach to coaching calls.
So important in our current Zoom-meeting-every-hour world. Love the 60-second mini-meditation deep breathing tip. Very valuable for any stressful situation.
Thanks Chris. I don’t take the time for a long quiet time. Shorter times on multiple occasions seem to work for me.
Thanks for the thoughtful reminder, and know that I’m thankful for your wisdom!
Thanks for the encouragement, Amy.
Our company shares our electronic calendars between everyone, I feel like it is important to think about the other people I am inviting to meetings and be mindful of their schedules so not to schedule meetings immediately after their other meeting has ended. Our meetings generally end on time but seems like most of our meetings really end about 2-10 minutes later – after the attendees have had a chance to reconnect with their coworkers and share some personal time together.
Thanks for sharing your story, Jeff. Seeing everyone’s calendar is a double edged sword.
One way some people get a little control is by scheduling appointments with themselves or a special project.
You’re the one who best understands your best time to do your best work.
Thanks for highlighting that point – we encourage that within our work group also!!
My calendar is a blend of zoom meetings as well as in person meetings. I will propose meeting organizers review start/finish times to allow for quick breaks as well as “travel” time
I’m a part-time teacher. This is quite helpful as I think of full-time teachers going from class/meeting to class/meeting throughout the day. Often those classes are back-to-back-to-back with maybe 4 minutes between. Hardly time to catch one’s breath. So, Dan, thanks for some good counsel.
I almost skipped reading this one, because well, I’m busy catching up after back to back meetings. Many of those meetings were unavoidable, but I ran into a situation this week where I had to question if why I was holding onto some tasks that might be better delegated or let go altogether.
Thanks for sharing your story. Good people can hold on to tasks. They want to protect people. It’s a challenge to learn how to put weight on people… or aloe them to feel weight.
If you’re having meetings with three minutes between them, you have no time to respond to things that are happening when you’re in a meeting. And hence, your meetings move away from the reality of what is actually happening. What could possibly go wrong?
Dear Dan,
This happens when you are at the helm of affairs or part of HR who is needed to chair and listen to the current issues and direct the team with solution.
It’s better to refer to the key points jotted down in a diary by way of preparatory work done in advance. I liked your suggestion of ‘turning the next thing with intention’.