Here's how to cope when you have too many meetings at work

Workplace Wellness

Aug 25

Written By Calm Editorial Team

Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA

Drowning in too many meetings at work? You're not alone. These 10 mindful strategies will help you take your time back, protect your energy, and get real work done again.

It’s noon, and somehow, your third meeting of the day is running over — again. Your notes are a mess, you have dozens of unread Slack messages, and your to-do list is growing by the second. With so many meetings on your schedule, when are you supposed to do your actual work?

For many, back-to-back meetings might seem like a badge of productivity, but they often have the opposite effect. When you’re stuck in meetings all day, you might find that it’s more difficult to focus, follow through with your obligations, or feel fulfilled by your work.

So, what happens when your calendar becomes your biggest source of stress? Let’s unpack the emotional and cognitive cost of too many meetings, and explore mindful ways to reset and refocus. We’ll also share how to push back when needed.

Do you have too many meetings at work?

There’s no universal threshold for too many meetings, but if you’re feeling burnt out, your current schedule probably isn’t working for you. A packed calendar can often feel like a never-ending loop of interruptions, constant context switching, and endless fatigue. Here’s how to know if you’re experiencing meeting overload.

5 signs of meeting overload

You feel mentally drained after meetings, even when you barely spoke: Just being present in a meeting—listening, taking notes, managing facial expressions, and staying focused—requires more cognitive effort than you realize.
You rarely have uninterrupted time to focus or finish tasks: Meetings splinter your day into awkward chunks that aren’t long enough to dive deep, but are too long to ignore. Even 30-minute gaps can feel unusable if your brain’s still recovering from the last call.
You join meetings without knowing the purpose or outcomes: If you find yourself asking, “Do I need to be here?” or “What is this meeting for?” more than once a day, your calendar might be filled with meetings you’d be better off skipping.
You spend more time in meetings than doing actual work: Having to delegate your work tasks to after-hours is a red flag. Meetings should support productivity, not displace it.
You catch yourself daydreaming about canceling all your calls: Fantasizing about a calendar cleanse, hoping someone reschedules, or celebrating canceled meetings are all signs your brain needs more recovery time.

What is the impact of having too many meetings?

Too many meetings can quietly erode your mental clarity, emotional bandwidth, and overall sense of purpose at work. From a psychological standpoint, constant meetings prevent your brain from entering states of deep focus, or what researchers call “flow state.”

Flow states give a boost to creative problem-solving, strategic thinking, and the satisfaction of actually finishing something. But when your day is fragmented by meetings, your cognitive load increases, your stress levels may rise, and your sense of accomplishment can take a hit.

The emotional impact is real, too. Meetings can be performative, draining, or anxiety-inducing, especially in video-heavy environments. This is especially true if you’re neurodivergent, introverted, managing chronic conditions, or simply navigating personal stressors.

Over time, having too many meetings can lead to a host of issues, including:

Chronic fatigue
Decision fatigue
Reduced creativity and problem-solving
Increased frustration or resentment toward your work, your team, or your own calendar
Burnout

How to cope with having too many meetings: 10 mindful tips and techniques

You might not be able to overhaul your company’s meeting culture overnight, but you can take steps to protect your energy, reclaim focus time, and approach meetings with more intention.

These tips are designed to help you reset, recharge, and advocate for the space that you need.

1. Audit your calendar with curiosity, not guilt

Once a week, look over your calendar and ask yourself:

Why was I invited to this meeting?
Did I add value or learn something essential?
Could this have been handled another way?

This exercise can help you clarify which meetings are critical (and which ones aren’t). This self-awareness is your first tool for setting boundaries.

💙 Learn how to advocate for yourself with A Secret to Better Boundaries with Jeff Warren.

2. Build buffer time between calls

Taking just 5-10 minutes between meetings can make a huge difference in how you feel. Use that time to take a few deep breaths, drink a glass of water, jot down important notes, or just stare out the window.

These micro-doses of calm can help you feel more grounded and prevent you from burning out.

3. Designate meeting-free hours (or days)

If possible, block out time in your calendar to focus. If you put it in your calendar, people will know not to schedule meetings with you during those times.

You might also suggest a team-wide Focus Friday or No-Meeting Mornings.

4. Use mindful transitions

Shifting from one meeting to another (especially if it’s across topics or teams) can be disorienting. But if you transition mindfully, certain rituals can help reset your nervous system and reduce cumulative stress.

You might close your eyes for 30 seconds, take three deep breaths, or distract yourself with a one-minute breathing exercise between calls. Think of them as signals to your brain that it’s time to focus on a different topic.

💙 For moments you’re short on time, this One-Minute Reset with Chibs Okereke can make all the difference.

5. Get comfortable with declining gracefully

It’s not rude to decline an invitation to a meeting that isn’t essential. After all, you’re protecting your time and mental capacity.

Still, how you respond matters. Asking if you can work asynchronously can help. Try: “I’m focused on a few priorities this week and want to give them attention. Can you send me a recap?” Oftentimes, people will accommodate.

6. Set clearer expectations as a host

If you’re scheduling the meeting, make it easy for others to show up prepared and stay focused. Here are a few ways to maximize meetings in as little time as possible:

Add a clear agenda to the invite
Assign roles (like a facilitator or a notetaker)
Define the desired outcome
End early if the goal is met

7. Explore async communication tools

Not everything needs to be a meeting. There are many work tools available these days, especially if the goal is sharing information or fostering alignment.

For instance, video and voice notes can help you offer quick updates, shared docs can allow for feedback or collaboration, and Slack threads can be used for questions or brainstorming. You may work more quickly and feel productive with these async methods.

8. Prioritize recovery like it’s part of the job (because it is)

Meetings can be emotionally and cognitively taxing, especially if you’re facilitating them or navigating complex dynamics. After high-output calls, treat yourself like an athlete in recovery. Take a walk, stretch, step outside, or do a short grounding exercise or meditation.

Even if you only have a few minutes, these activities can help you lower your cortisol levels and bring you back to baseline.

9. Advocate for smarter norms, one meeting at a time

While changing your company’s meeting culture might seem impossible, small changes can make a difference. Try to:

Combine redundant check-ins
Set default meetings to 25 or 30 minutes
Encourage async follow-ups
Model thoughtful scheduling
Reduce the number of invitees per meeting when you’re hosting

10. Check in with yourself regularly

To help you figure out how you’re feeling, try the kid-friendly “internal weather report” (it works!). All you have to do is describe how you’re feeling using weather-specific terms.

For instance, are you stormy? Foggy? Sunny but scattered? That emotional awareness can help you pace yourself and notice when you’re hitting capacity. This can also help you understand if you need to cut down on meetings or politely excuse yourself from existing ones.

💙 Another powerful way to check in with yourself is with this Body Scan with Tamara Levitt.

Too many meetings FAQs

How do I know if I’m in too many meetings?

Instead of focusing on a certain number, think about how you feel. If your days are packed with calls, but end with the sense that you couldn’t get any actual work done, that’s a red flag.

Other signs of having too many meetings might include overworking on nights or weekends, struggling to stay present in the meetings themselves, or feeling emotionally wiped by mid-afternoon.

What should I do when meetings leave me mentally exhausted?

First, acknowledge that this kind of fatigue is real and valid. Back-to-back meetings don’t leave much space to decompress, so your brain never gets a chance to reset.

One simple fix is to schedule micro-breaks after each call. Even two minutes of silence, movement, or a few deep breaths can help calm your nervous system.

Is it okay to say no to a meeting?

Yes, it’s okay to say no to a meeting, and more importantly, it’s healthy. Declining a meeting lets you protect your bandwidth and model sustainable work habits to your peers.

Just be sure to respond with kindness and clarity. You might say, “I’m currently heads-down on X priority and won’t be able to join, but I’m happy to review notes afterward.” The key is to offer an alternative or show willingness to stay in the loop another way.

How do I politely ask for fewer meetings?

When you ask for fewer meetings, start with context. If you’ve noticed your week is heavy on meetings and light on focus time, share that with your manager or team.

Try saying, “I’m spending a lot of time in meetings lately, and I’m finding it impossible to make progress on some key projects. Would you be open to reviewing my schedule together to see which ones are most important for me to attend?”

Framing the conversation around shared goals can help make it more productive and collaborative.

What’s one mindfulness trick for meeting overload?

The STOP technique is a powerful one: Stop what you’re doing, take a breath, observe how you’re feeling, and proceed with intention. This method works because it only takes about 30 seconds, but it helps break the autopilot loop that meetings can create.

Use it right before a call starts or in between meetings to ground yourself. Then re-engage and notice how you’re doing. Pause just long enough to catch your breath, and you’ll find you’re much calmer day-to-day.

Calm your mind. Change your life.

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workplace wellness

Calm Editorial Team