Yes, meetings are necessary! However, reviewing my calendar for the upcoming week and seeing days full of meetings automatically equals mental burnout. No matter your field, meetings are essential to ensure everyone is on track to reach the same goal. However, many times, we are included in discussions that run over, have no structure, and leave many questions unanswered. This causes…you guessed it…an additional meeting. With several back-to-back meetings, completing the duties of our roles and other responsibilities can become challenging and create more work. Now, don't take the introduction negatively. I enjoy getting together with colleagues to discuss important topics. When I schedule meetings, I like to ensure everyone's time is respected and used effectively. I intend to schedule effective appointments that do not leave my teammates and myself feeling drained and unaccomplished. That said, here are a few tips to help reduce meeting burnout, save resources, and ensure your colleagues are receiving adequate work-life balance. Identifying what's a meeting and what's an email. Before adding a 12 p.m. to your team's calendar, ask yourself: Can this be sent in an email? Both emails and meetings are effective communication tools to ensure information is delivered to many simultaneously. According to Spooky Nook Sports, "Meetings should be brief in time and small in attendance, whereas emails can communicate a lot of information to a large group." If you enjoy human interaction and feel meetings are essential for team culture, you must determine who needs to be included and the session's purpose. People are often requested to attend a meeting unrelated to their position or duties. When that happens, you're guaranteed to have individuals tuning out the conversation and leaving the discussion more puzzled than before.  Now that the correct attendees have been confirmed ensuring everyone is adequately prepared can make meetings more efficient. Taking the time to send out necessary information gives participants a chance to absorb the items provided and process any comments, questions, or concerns they may have before the meeting begins. As hybrid and remote meeting options are still practiced within many companies, socializing and catching up have become the norm before the topic discussion begins. Prioritize team culture and time by creating meeting minutes to stay on track. Set time aside to allow small talk among the participants. If you still prefer a communication tool that provides immediate responses and interactions, consider tying a digital project management system. Tools like Monday.com, Asana, and Trello are perfect for reducing redundant communication and allow multiple participants to access several topics, communicate their concerns, and receive feedback promptly. They also provide an excellent source for individuals to review archived notes on a particular topic. Regardless of your stance on which communication tool you prefer, remember that job burnout is real. As the saying goes, "Your company is only as good as your best employees!" By keeping in mind the tips provided, you, too, can help prevent meeting burnout and create a more balanced work schedule that everyone can appreciate.