Meetings

I just want to do my work. I want to be able to sit down at my desk and focus on my work. I understand the value of "learning and sharing meetings" - aka cross team meetings of a particular group of people to share experiences, what went well in a situation, what didn't, tips and trick and all of that - but when there is a lot of work (which actually interests me) I would like to do my work. In my opinion these "learning and sharing meetings" need to become secondary.

While I am trying to do my work I don't want to be made to feel badly that I would like to do my work. I would prefer not to be told "at times like these it is better to pick up your head from your work and take a step back"(to go to these meetings) I have work to do! 

Everyone admits that we are "overcommitted" I am not complaining about being overcommitted with work. I would like to be able to just do the work instead of adding on additional non-project deliverable meetings. 

I am a friendly person at work and I am a volunteer-er and a contributor. I try my best to always help and support others no matter how busy I am so feeling like this is not common for me but I am tired of cramming my work in in 30 minute or 1-hour increments between meetings - adding non-essential meetings to my schedule right now is not helping.

Then when I say, "If I am mandated to go, I will because that is part of my job." I get told, "that's not a good attitude." In this case, I am sorry but I just don't agree.

For the sake of paranoia if anyone from work ever comes across this I am not talking about the 3.5 hour all team meeting today. That is a once a year event. I am talking about smaller more frequent occurrences. 

Comments

[brandy101]

there is a best selling book called (you guessed it:) Death By Meeting

Hubby estimated that last week of the 50 hours he spent at work, 40 of them were in meetings/conference calls.

[Kristy]

I had to attend a compliance training the other day. I was told I only had to attend 2 of the 6 hours because only 2 of those hours applied to my job. It made me so want to ask "So percentagewize I must only be compliant not all of the time just 1/3 of the time?

I didn't say it. whew....but oh my....I wanted to.

[terri]

I hate meetings. They are usually a big waste of time. The last one I attended, we actually discussed work for about a half hour, then the next half was spent listening to people talk about their personal lives! I couldn't help feeling guilty about that.