Before You Schedule
Ask: Does this need to be a meeting?
Before scheduling anything, ask yourself: Could this be an email? A Slack message? A quick document? Meetings should be reserved for discussions that require real-time interaction—brainstorming, decision-making, or complex problem-solving.
Invite only essential people
Every additional person makes scheduling harder and meetings less productive. Ask: Who actually needs to participate, and who just needs to know the outcome? The second group can get meeting notes instead.
Define a clear purpose
"Sync" or "catch up" aren't purposes. What decision needs to be made? What problem needs to be solved? What information needs to be shared? If you can't articulate it, maybe you don't need the meeting.
Scheduling the Meeting
Use a scheduling poll for groups
Stop the "when are you free?" email chains. For 3+ people, use a scheduling poll:
- ✓ Everyone votes on their availability
- ✓ Takes 10 seconds to participate
- ✓ Instantly see the best time
Choose meeting lengths intentionally
Meetings expand to fill the time allotted. Challenge default durations:
Instead of 60 minutes
Try 45 or 50 minutes
Instead of 30 minutes
Try 25 minutes
The 5-10 minute buffer gives people time to breathe between meetings.
Respect timezone differences
For distributed teams, rotate meeting times so the same people aren't always joining at inconvenient hours. If someone has to take a 6am call, share that burden.
Give adequate notice
Unless it's urgent, give at least 24-48 hours notice. Same-day meeting requests disrupt people's planned work and create stress.
Time Selection Best Practices
Best times for meetings:
Late morning (10-11am)
People are warmed up but not hungry yet
Early afternoon (2-3pm)
Post-lunch, still productive hours
Avoid when possible:
First thing Monday morning
People need time to plan their week
Lunch hour (12-1pm)
Let people eat and recharge
End of day Friday
People are mentally checked out
The Invitation
Write a descriptive title
❌ Bad
"Quick sync"
"Discussion"
"Catch up"
✅ Good
"Q1 Budget Decision"
"Website Redesign Kickoff"
"Product Launch Planning"
Include an agenda
Every meeting invite should answer these questions in the description:
- • Purpose: Why are we meeting?
- • Agenda: What will we cover?
- • Prep: What should attendees prepare or read?
- • Outcome: What do we want to decide or accomplish?
Set clear expectations for optional attendees
If someone is optional, tell them why. "Optional—join if you want input on X" is more helpful than just marking them as optional.
After Scheduling
Send a reminder if needed
For important meetings scheduled far in advance, a day-before reminder ensures everyone has it on their radar.
Be willing to reschedule
If the agenda becomes irrelevant or the right people can't attend, reschedule rather than having an unproductive meeting.
Cancel if it's no longer needed
The best meeting is often no meeting. If the issue gets resolved beforehand, cancel and give everyone that time back.
Quick Reference Checklist
- This actually needs to be a meeting
- Only essential people are invited
- I have a clear purpose/outcome
- The title is descriptive
- The agenda is included
- The duration is appropriate (not default)
- I've given adequate notice
- Timezone impact is considered