Virtual meetings require a much different approach than in-person gatherings. As the need for remote meetings increases, project managers...
Chang Chen
October 1, 2020
We all spend a lot of time in meetings, so it’s crucial to make sure they’re as productive as possible. That’s why it’s important to prepare for video meetings by setting clear goals and making sure you reach them.
This might sound basic but it’s not always easy – especially if you have lots to do in a short amount of time. Fortunately, there are a few quick wins that’ll help you get the most out of video meetings.
Before we dive in, let’s look at some of the reasons why virtual productivity is so important.
Why virtual productivity matters
Now that many of us are working from home or remotely, it’s more important than ever to be efficient and goal-oriented in a virtual environment. Here’s why.
It promotes teamwork
When you show up engaged and ready for meetings, it helps create a productive session and positive work environment. Awesome!
It creates good habits
Planning your day and meeting agendas can help you stay on top of your to-do list, helping to keep you on track – even when you’re not in the office.
It saves time
Getting the most value for your time is one of the most important benefits of virtual meeting productivity. It ensures that everyone can clock out on time and still get all of their work done, despite the extra time spent on calls.
How to get the most out of every video meeting
Following the best methods for productivity helps you to add value to every virtual event, conference, or get-together. Thankfully, our pals at video meetings tool Whereby have got some top tips on how to do it.
Quit your apps
It only takes a quick glance at a notification to get distracted while you’re on a call. That’s why quitting apps or turning off notifications is so helpful. The last thing you want is for the other person in the meeting to think you’re not paying attention!
Set an agenda
If you want to stop your meeting from running over, and cover everything that you need to discuss, then it’s vital to set an agenda. Make sure to share it with everyone before the meeting so they know how to prepare and can add anything that’s missing.
Use icebreakers
To get everyone in the spirit of the meeting and grab their attention, try using icebreaker questions and/or team building activities. Stuck for inspiration? Whereby’s got loads of icebreaker ideas that go way beyond the usual “how are you?” questions.
Give yourself a break
Try not to pack your meetings in too tightly. Even a 30-minute call can be pretty draining, so make sure you give yourself at least five minutes between meetings to grab a drink or use the restroom.
Mix it up
To make meetings more interactive, try one of Whereby’s many integrations. Like working on a brainstorming exercise with Miro, or incorporating video directly in the meeting with YouTube. This can help to keep your meetings fresh, so people stay focused.
Try another way
It’s always a good idea to consider whether something needs to be discussed during a meeting. If you’ve got more to say, you could share a video on Loom, so your teammates can look at it in their own time – when it’s more convenient.
Ready for better meetings? Get started with Whereby.
Bring your note taking into the 21st century
A meeting is useless if no one can remember what was discussed. Unfortunately, taking diligent notes can make it much more difficult to participate and engage in the conversation. Thankfully, note taking technology has advanced so that you can record and edit notes in real-time with tools like Otter.ai Live Transcriptions.
Otter.ai can help you create, save, share, and edit your virtual meeting notes. Not only does this ensure that everyone stays on the same page, but it also keeps a record of all of your past meetings. This gives you a complete breakdown of topics and areas that you’ve already discussed so that you don’t have to waste time covering the same ground in future meetings.
