NEVER ON A MONDAY

AT MOST WORKPLACES, MEETINGS start on Monday mornings, right after the weekend break. Not the best time as people have not yet wound up after winding down. Some may not even have returned from an extended time off.

Andrew Jensen, business efficiency and performance expert, rules out both Mondays and Fridays for important meetings. “Employees are still typically in ‘weekend mode’ on Mondays. On Fridays they are likely to be rushing through the day in anticipation of two days off,” he writes. Quoting a study, Jensen says respondents in a survey accepted Tuesday 3 p.m. as the best time for a meeting. In early morning meetings, participants may still feel tired or sleepy and may not be adequately prepared. Towards the end of the day, enthusiasm will wane as people get ready to go home. As is well known, mealtimes also affect a meeting.

So, it may be a good idea to follow Jensen’s line of thought and plan the most important meetings on Tuesday afternoons to maximise intelligent participation.