Why I don't meet on Fridays

Why I Don't Schedule Meetings on Fridays or After 4 PM

Over 20 years ago, during my first corporate job, something remarkable happened. I walked into the office one day, and on my desk, along with everyone else's, was a wall calendar for the upcoming year and a note from the CEO. In that note, the CEO informed us that the wall calendar had been intentionally gifted to all employees, and there was now a special block on Fridays. Fridays, he explained, were meant for wrapping up work in the office, not for taking in new information or additional tasks through meetings. We were encouraged to keep Fridays meeting-free, using the time to focus on tasks that had accumulated over the week while they were still fresh in our minds, before heading into the weekend.

During that year of 'no-meeting Fridays,' I learned valuable lessons on how to work efficiently, run meetings effectively, concentrate on follow-ups from Monday to Thursday, and then dedicate Fridays to closing out as much work as possible. It was a lesson that has stayed with me to this day.

In the 15 years that followed at another corporation, I didn't have the same luxury of controlling when people wanted to meet. However, I retained some control over my Fridays by being more open to meetings earlier in the week. If Friday was the only available option, so be it. Still, I strived to maintain the same structure to ensure I had substantial in-office time for focused work without long stretches of meetings.

When I transitioned to remote work in 2014, I gained even more control over my calendar. Consequently, I began prioritizing meeting availability on any day but Friday.

Fridays became my designated days for responding to neglected emails, revisiting tasks that had been pushed aside during the week, and occasionally, enjoying a leisurely lunch or coffee date. If I managed my time well, I even found myself with the gift of a three-day weekend.

As I honed this skill of blocking off time for no meetings, I started thinking about how else I could apply it. After becoming a parent, I realized the importance of not scheduling meetings after 4 PM. Meetings running late into the evening meant rushing to pick up my child from daycare and incurring extra fees for being late. I began pushing back on meetings scheduled after 4 PM, recognizing that anything discussed at that hour could be turned into a to-do list for the following morning. This way, I could work on it during my most productive hours.

By avoiding late meetings, I discovered that I was a more focused and efficient employee. I wasn't constantly checking the clock, wondering if meetings would run over, or stressing about last-minute childcare arrangements. Instead, I could dedicate my full attention to tasks at hand.

Today, I adhere to a simple rule: no meetings on Fridays or after 4 PM. Whenever we onboard a new employee, I share this rule upfront, along with my reasons. I encourage them to think about their own preferred non-meeting times so that I can catch them at their best. It's important to me that my team is productive and comfortable, even if it means accommodating unique preferences.

I encourage you to consider your own non-meeting times. You don't have to announce them openly at work if you believe it wouldn't be well-received. Simply continue to offer meeting times that align with your productivity and preferences.