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Best time for scheduling online meetings

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Cubo writersJan 05, 2023

Meetings must be scheduled at the right time of day, and the time of day is equally as important. Find out what science says about the best time to schedule meetings.

There is a finite amount of time available each day.

Sitting at a desk for the entire day often makes it feel as though the day was so quick. Even more so when you have a busy day with meetings, you want your meetings to be both effective and efficient.

When scheduling your meetings, make sure the best time to meet with your team is chosen to ensure maximum productivity.

What is the best time of the day for meetings?

Unfortunately, there's no simple answer to this, so let's talk about some scenarios: it might depend on the kind of meeting you are having with your team.

But if you're just looking for some blocks of time, our data shows that the most ideal times for meetings are around 10-12 am.

This is true for everyone across the board, regardless of profession, industry, or region.

What we each need is not universal, since each person will differ according to what he or she does. I find, for instance, that I do most of my work between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., which is why I prefer meeting outside those hours.

Best time for meetings according to science

Remember, this is all a science thing, and so you should consider it before pressing 'send' on that meeting invite.

Be sure to avoid Monday mornings, as it is the worst time. Often after the weekend, employees are feeling rejuvenated and show a high level of productivity. Because of this, this is the perfect time for your team to be as productive as possible. You may also find that employees are likely to take advantage of PTO or vacation time on Mondays; the same applies to Fridays.

2:30 pm on Tuesdays is the best time to schedule meetings if you want high attendance, according to a study conducted by YouCanBookMe. It is neither too early nor too late in the day and tends to be the best time for meetings.

It is best to make decisions during the time slot of 10 am - 12 pm if this doesn't work for you. Mid-afternoons and mid-week tend to be the best times for decision-making.

Different times of the day for meetings 

It all depends on timing, and for the average workday 9 to 5. This article will tell you how you can schedule meetings throughout the day if your work hours are the same as the typical working day.

Early morning

These meetings are from 9-10 am and they are best for anyone who is looking to finish off all meetings quickly. Typically, they're held at these hours because some attendees may not yet be feeling their best, or are trying to get back on track after working all morning. It is vital that you are prepared the day before all morning meetings.

Mid-morning

The mid-morning meeting is usually held between 10 and 11 am, when your team has had time to sip on some coffee, check their emails, and are not overburdened with work just yet.

Lunchtime

A lunchtime meeting usually takes place around noon, and attendees are encouraged to eat during the break. Use the fact that they will start with an icebreaker question and ask everyone if they are enjoying anything particularly exciting or delicious over lunch.

Afternoon

Instead of thinking of holding a meeting after you and your team have just finished eating, wait for about an hour and your team will be back on the upswing. Plan to get together with your team at 2:30 - 3 PM.

Late afternoon/evening

End-of-day meetings are notorious for attendees feeling anxious and watching the clock tick down until it's time to end the meeting. Avoid this time slot unless it is the only time available or something is urgent.

Questions to ask before setting a meeting 

As you consider how to create an agenda for your meeting, you'll need to determine the meeting times that will work for everyone. There are some important questions to ask yourself, including Is it Monday or Friday? and Did I do enough preparation? To find the best available times for your meeting, it's also helpful to ask other questions such as Is the meeting during work hours? or Can the time work with their time zone?

Is a meeting necessary?

You won't find anyone who likes meetings that feel like they could have just been a quick email or a chat message. So, ask yourself whether the meeting is necessary at all before you agree to it. I advise speaking to the person first through email or a direct message if possible. You can always weave the discussion of information you are seeking into a meeting that your team has already scheduled, like the team lunch tomorrow, for instance.

What is the purpose of the meeting?

When a meeting is scheduled, it's important to decide on its goal from the outset, as some meetings are intended as purely informational while others need to tackle issues that were encountered. Furthermore, there are meetings that focus on specific action items as well as meetings for brainstorming in order to tackle the team's limitations.

Fully understanding the purpose of your event will allow you to more easily identify the best time of year to schedule it.

Who needs to be in attendance?

Meetings can sometimes go on and on and occupy more of a person's day than they might have time for, so be sure to invite people to a meeting that have to be there. Reflect on a time when you attended a meeting and there was nothing to gain by your presence. This is what you should avoid now. Whenever considering the list of possible attendees, check whether or not they will contribute meaningfully to the meeting's objectives. If the answer is yes, add them to the list. If that doesn't work, it might be better to simply email them the meeting minutes.

How long does this meeting need to be?

After you decide the purpose and are in agreement about who to invite, you can be more specific about how long meetings should be. Meetings of only a few members or those where it's just the speaker and the person they are speaking with should be brief. Try and keep your early-morning meetings short and to the point.

Give an hour - or more - to prepare for any major corporate all-hands or board meeting. Don't forget to end the meeting at the same time regardless of its length. Some attendees may attend another event right after yours, so make sure that your event does not last for too long.

What else is scheduled close to the meeting time?

Keep in mind how packed someone's schedule is when you pick a date and time to set up a meeting. For instance, if you see they have a doctor's appointment until 2 pm, don't schedule your meeting until after 2 pm. Unless you would rather the attendee feel rushed and worry they might not get back to work on time for this meeting, they probably won't get anything done while attending your event.

Make the most of your meeting time

Those who believe that the time of the meeting doesn't matter would be wise to reconsider.

Not every meeting can be scheduled on a Tuesday at 2:30 pm, but be mindful of all the relevant details before picking a date and time. And don't forget to use Fellow to keep meeting details organized and centralized.