There are many ways to work happy, but some days can feel like a torture rack, pulling every last bit of joy out of you.
Meetings are a major culprit to unhappiness at work. We can't all be like Timothy Ferriss of the 4 Hour Work Week and not attend. So what tools do you have that can improve the meetings you must attend?
The Daily Mind wrote a great post about finding happiness in a meeting. He wrote about board meetings, but I think this can apply to almost any meeting you attend.
1. Don't say a single word
2. Get interested
3. Don't go
4. Meditate
He wrote a short paragraph on each, but my favorite little gem was from - Get Interested.
...take a bit of an interest in the meeting it can become a wonderful opportunity to make some changes around the office. If you present things in the right way you can often get the ball rolling on something exciting and new.
Almost everyone I know can get a little more involved in improving their company. It may be something as simple as organizing a gathering at the local pub or coffee shop, but whatever it is you'll feel more engaged. An engaged you is a happier you. A friend told me that. I thought it was a little cheesy, but as you can see it stuck with me.
I would add one more to his list.
1. Take breaks
When you take the time to go to the bathroom or grab a drink you can readjust your thinking. When I'm out of the room I like to think of one thing that I am enjoying about the meeting. Maybe it's someone's new mustache that needs to be shaved or the fruit platter. There is always some little thing that attracts your interest besides the material at hand.
Meetings should also be a great place to get things done. If you don't like how people are sharing ideas or not sharing ideas then speak up. You should try to make these meetings as useful as possible, to you as well as the people you are sharing this time with.
What is your biggest pet peeve about your meetings?
Thanks for the link. I think my biggest peeve about meetings is that people like to talk for the sake of talking. I often get the feeling they don't really want to be there either but feel like they should just talk anyway so they look productive.
Good post.
The Daily Minder
The Daily Minder's last blog post..Career Change: How Do You Know When to Change Jobs?
If I had five dollars for every meeting that had someone talking for the sake of talking, I'd be rich. They like to drag the meeting on because they want to feel important. The best way to deal with people like them is not to feed their ego. Let them talk, but stay quiet until they stop. If you are running the meeting then cut them off and move the meeting in a new direction.
I get really annoyed when people bring up issues that they know it cannot be solved in an hour.
chris's last blog post..Manners
Hey Chris, that bugs me too. Sometimes they know what they're doing too. I just want to take them out back and...uh...never mind. I guess I better reread some of my emotional work tools. Harness my inner Buddha.