At a glance
What the research shows
Professionals who said poorly organised meetings get in the way of doing their actual work.
Doodle, 2019Said unclear actions after a meeting create confusion in the workplace.
Doodle, 2019Said poorly organised meetings affect their client relationships.
Doodle, 2019Main causes of video-call fatigue identified by Stanford researchers.
Stanford, 2021How meetings feel
Ask people about meetings and you will hear very different stories. For some, a good meeting is the highlight of the week: a place to be heard, to solve something together, and to feel part of a team. For others, a back-to-back calendar is a source of stress, with no space left to think. Often the same person experiences both, depending on how the meeting is run.
The video call factor
Researchers at Stanford, led by Professor Jeremy Bailenson, examined why long video calls can feel so draining. They pointed to four main causes: an unusual amount of close-up eye contact, constantly seeing yourself on screen, reduced mobility because you stay in front of the camera, and a higher mental load from trying to read and send non-verbal signals.
A later study of nearly 10,000 participants supported the idea of non-verbal overload. People who used video calls more often, for longer, and with fewer breaks reported more fatigue, and women reported more fatigue than men on average.
Simple ways to reduce the strain
- Hide your own video thumbnail so you are not watching yourself all day.
- Shrink the meeting window so faces feel less overwhelming.
- Take audio-only breaks, or turn the camera off during long sessions.
- Stand, stretch, or walk during calls where you do not need to present.
- Leave a few minutes between meetings instead of scheduling them back to back.
When meetings are unclear
The stress of a meeting is not always about the format. A meeting with no agenda, no decisions, and no follow-up can leave people feeling that their time has been wasted, and that feeling lingers. In Doodle’s survey, many respondents said poorly organised meetings were more annoying than a call with a bad connection.
The positive side
It is just as important to name the good things. A well-run meeting can give people a sense of belonging, a chance to share ideas, and the satisfaction of making progress together. Face-to-face gatherings, whether a team lunch, a workshop, or a community get-together, also build the personal bonds that make everyday work easier.
What you can do
- As an attendee: ask what the goal is, decline when you are not needed, and protect time to think.
- As an organiser: share an agenda, keep it short, and make space for quieter voices.
- As a team: agree on meeting-free blocks and respect people’s time zones and working hours.
See also: the financial impact of meetings and the state of meetings today.
Join the conversation
Have a meeting story to share?
Tell us about the best (or worst) meeting you have been to. We would love to hear from you.
