Academic meetings are often seen as a necessary part of the job, but in reality, many of them are a waste of time. They don’t lead to decisions, nor do they move your work forward. Instead, they consume hours that could be better spent on research, writing, or personal development. In this blog, we’ll explore why academic meetings are often counterproductive and how you can make better use of your time.
The Myth of Collegial Meetings
Academia is built on the idea of collaboration and collegiality, but too often, this leads to meetings that feel like a performance rather than a productive exchange of ideas. As I was preparing for another project, I came across a quote from Thomas Sowell that made me laugh, but it hit a nerve: "The least productive people are usually the ones who are most in favour of holding meetings."
This rings true for academia, where meetings are often called not to make decisions but to discuss what’s already been decided. Decisions are often made elsewhere—whether at a departmental level or higher up in the university’s hierarchy—and meetings are just a formality to make it appear as though opinions are being canvassed.
The ‘Regulatory Meetings’ Trap
In many universities, particularly in the UK, academic meetings such as exam boards and boards of studies serve as an example of what I call regulatory meetings. These meetings are a relic from the past, where staff were actively involved in decision-making. Now, in most cases, the decisions have already been made by a computer or an administrator, and the meeting serves only to read out numbers or confirm predetermined outcomes.
In my own experience, I’ve spent hours in exam boards that didn’t make any decisions, because everything was already automated. Yet, we were still required to sit in these meetings, often for hours on end, and review student grades that had already been decided. This waste of time—where no meaningful decisions were made—was a huge source of frustration.
Why Meetings Are Not Productive
The core issue with academic meetings is that no work gets done during them. They often involve listening to updates, reviewing numbers, or having discussions that don’t lead anywhere. In reality, meetings are not where work happens. True productivity happens in solo work—in quiet moments of research, writing, and planning.
Meetings in academia can feel like an endless cycle of busy work, with little to no tangible output. They give the illusion of productivity but rarely result in anything substantial.
Time Wasted in Meetings
Here’s the real issue: time in meetings is time you’re not writing or researching. Every hour spent in a meeting could have been used to write a section of your paper, analyse your research, or prepare a grant proposal. If you’re spending your week in endless meetings, ask yourself—what could you have done with that time instead?
Let’s say you spend five hours in meetings each week. That’s five hours of writing, five hours of thinking, five hours of deep work lost. This is time you’ll never get back, and when you tally up the hours across a semester or year, it becomes a huge drain on productivity.
The ‘Busy Work’ Fallacy
Why do so many people love meetings? The truth is, meetings feel like work, even though they’re often just busy work. When people can’t manage their time effectively or don’t know how to prioritise, they opt for meetings because it feels like they’re doing something.
But meetings are not real work. They take up time and energy, yet nothing is produced from them. People who spend all their time in meetings aren’t the ones who are making meaningful progress in their careers—they’re caught in a cycle of pseudo-productivity.
Minimising Meetings: A Solution for Productivity
If you want to avoid burnout and increase your academic productivity, it’s time to reassess your approach to meetings. Here are some steps you can take:
Audit your meetings: Track how much time you spend in meetings and evaluate whether they’re necessary. Could you have achieved the same result via email or a short memo?
Set boundaries: As an academic, you don’t have to attend every meeting. Learn to say no to meetings that don’t directly contribute to your goals or research.
Keep meetings focused: If you must attend a meeting, ensure it’s well-planned and time-bound. Have a clear agenda and stay on task. Avoid meetings that don’t have a clear purpose or outcome.
Delegate where possible: If you’re in a position where you need to attend meetings regularly, consider delegating tasks or responsibilities that don’t require your direct involvement.
Use meetings for collaboration, not discussion: Research-related meetings can be beneficial if they have a clear focus. Set agendas in advance and keep them short and purposeful. Collaborating on projects or discussing specific research aspects can move your work forward if managed properly.
Conclusion: Say Goodbye to Meeting Overload
Meetings in academia, while often unavoidable, don’t have to be the productivity killers they have become. By shifting your focus from unnecessary meetings to quality writing and research time, you can reclaim hours in your day and significantly increase your output.
Take control of your schedule and remember—your time is precious, and meetings should only be held when absolutely necessary. Start auditing your time today and make conscious decisions about where to spend your energy for maximum academic success.
Reflect on your own meetings: Are they contributing to your success, or are they draining your valuable time? It's time to prioritise what truly matters.