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Friday, again?  Time for another “No Meeting Friday!”

Today, we have a list of things that you could better spend your time on instead of being locked in a meeting room.

11 Things Your Could Do Instead of That Meeting

1 – Get to Know Your People

When was the last time you got to know your people?  How about interacting with them one-on-one rather than calling the team into a meeting room?  Stop by casually, and instead of asking “What are you doing?” simply ask, “How are you doing?”  Then be quiet and listen.  You will be amazed what you learn.

2- Do Some Creative Work

Most meetings are the killers of creativity.  Instead, set aside time to do nothing but inspirational work.  Seclude yourself from others and interruptions, if necessary.  New ideas don’t appear out of thin air… they appear once you let your mind relax and ponder them over a few times.  Then, you get magic.

3 – Get Your Job Done

How many times have you heard your team say, “I am in so many meetings, that I cannot get my job done!” Cancel that unneeded meeting and return the time to your team so that they can do their normal duties.  They will thank you.

4 – Reach Out and Touch Someone

Some companies observe “No Email Friday.”  This is another great concept to jump-start productivity.  Instead of blasting off an email to the finance department, try walking down the hall and interacting with someone to get your task done.  It is amazing what a little face-to-face can accomplish.

5 – Kill That Task That Won’t Die

All of us have that one task. You know, the one that has been on your todo list for like 3 weeks, but yet cannot be deleted.  That task is creating more work for you.  Use this time to finally get rid of it.  Be ruthless!

6 – Learn How to Do Something

When was the last time you actually learned a new skill at work?  Use the time to learn something that you need for your job.  It could be as complicated as researching a new technical skill online or as simple as learning how to use the network printer down the hall.

7 – Clean Something Up

Is your workplace clean?  Be honest, or we will take pictures.  :)  Do you have papers all over your desk?  Do you have materials laying out from the project you did not finish last week?  Are there items that need to be put away or filed?  Taking a few minutes to tidy up your workspace “pays for itself” in increased efficiency.

8 – Feed Your Network

Fridays are great days to “feed your network.”  Do you have a colleague or business contact that you have been meaning to connect with?  Make today the day.  It can open up opportunities that you did not even know about.  Or maybe you will just reconnect with a friend.

9 – Attack Some Email

Many people are drowning in their work email.  Are there more than 100 emails in your inbox?  Time to get busy.  Better yet, take some actions to reduce your email inflow.

10 – Get Prepared

Most people head into their obligations without prior preparation.  What event or appointment could you prepare for?  Do you need to read a book in advance?  Review a document?  Prepare an agenda?  Getting prepared now will put you ahead of the curve.

11 – Finish Something Early

Friday is a great day to finish something early… especially a project.  It feels great to complete something significant before the weekend!  Doubly so, when it is done early.  What can you wrap up now that is not due until next week?

So, what could you do instead of that meeting?

Related Posts:

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9 Reasons You Should Skip That Meeting