Scheduling time for a business meeting can be a challenge. You want to ensure that you and your colleagues are available when the meeting is supposed to take place, but you also want to ensure that you’re not going to be spending excessive time in meetings.
If you’re scheduling a meeting with multiple people, ensure everyone has their schedules open during the same time window.
If one person has conflicting appointments or other plans, it can throw off the entire schedule and make it impossible to hold the meeting on time.
What Is the Best Time to Schedule a Business Meeting?
At 56%, more than half of the 106 people we asked said 10 am is the best time for a business meeting. The next best times are 9 am and 2 pm by a wide margin.
We found that the most productive time for scheduling a meeting is in the late morning. This period runs from 10 am until noon, so it’s not too early in the morning (when productivity tends to be lowest) but also not too late when everyone could be tired or distracted by other commitments.
The most common response was “no” for 8 am meetings, which makes sense after all, who wants to begin a day with a morning meeting?
See also: [Survey Result] Best Day for a Business Meeting
8 am: Worst Time
Only 1% of respondents said that 8 am was their most productive time, and only 1 % said it was their most creative time. If you’re a morning person, you might think this is good news-but the statistics show 8 am as the worst time of day to schedule a business meeting.
9 am: Better Time
If you’re looking for a good time to schedule an important business meeting, 9 am might not be the best option. That’s because this time of day is too early, so it may not allow people plenty of time to prepare for their meeting.
10 am: Best Time
You should probably schedule your meetings at 10 am. If you’re talking about scheduling meetings with your team members, then you should hold them at 10 am. 56% of people prefer having weekly meetings between 10 am and 11 am during the weekdays!
11 am: Bad Time
11 am is not a good time for business meetings because it’s not early enough. Most people are in transit from other meetings at this time, so their schedule is not open, and you’ll not have their attention.
Noon: Bad Time
Noon is a good time only for lunch meetings. It may not be a good time for other meetings, given that people are hungry, distracted, and need a lunch break.
1 pm: Bad Time
Only 6% of people prefer1 pm meetings. Please don’t make them awkward by making them choose between their lunchtime break and formal business!
2 pm: Good Time
2 pm may be an okay time to schedule a business meeting. People are less busy in the afternoon, so they have more time for meetings. There’s less traffic around this time of day, so you can get there on time without worrying about traffic jams.
3 pm: Worst Time
3 pm is the worst time to schedule a business meeting. You should avoid scheduling meetings at this time because most people are tired after lunch. Also, people get distracted on their way home at the end of the day, so they’re not in great mental shape for a talk.
4 pm: Worse Time
4 pm is another worst time to schedule a business meeting because it’s too late for most people. Most people are tired and less productive in the afternoon. [1] They’re also more likely to be distracted by other things, like checking their phone or social media accounts.
That means they’ll be less likely to focus on what you say in your meeting, so it may not go as well as you’d like it to. If you have an important meeting at this time of day, some people will be more prone to cancel at the last minute (or even worse, arrive late).
People Are More Energized Between 9 am and 10 am
You might have heard that morning meeting are better for creativity and problem-solving, and that’s true. But it’s also good for team building, as most people feel more energized and focused in the morning.
Tips for Scheduling Business Meetings
The point is that you should schedule a business meeting that most people can attend. Why it’s important: we’re more likely to show up if others are there.
If everyone has an equally good reason to come, we’ll be much more likely to show up on time and ready for action. If many people can’t make it, then scheduling is less urgent.
How it works: human beings are creatures of habit, so our brains like familiar and comfortable things (even if those things aren’t necessarily good for us). By scheduling meetings at certain times each week or month, you create a routine pattern in their lives-and patterns help us feel secure!
Here Are Useful Tips for Internal Office Meetings
When you want to be more productive: 9 am seems to be a good time for business meetings. It’s when people are fresh, full of energy, and will not waste time getting to work.
When you want to be more creative: 11 am or 12 pm seems ideal for brainstorming sessions with your team. It is after lunch, but before everyone gets tired, around 3 pm. Plus, this way, you will avoid distractions at night due to family life or social activities that could take away from your focus during those late hours.
When you are not sure about the best schedule for your meeting: Aim for 11 am since most people tend not to go out during lunch breaks unless there’s something urgent happening (e-mail anyone?).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the best time to schedule a business meeting is 10 am. This time allows us to interact with our colleagues in a relaxed way and ensure that we have the chance to discuss all important topics before moving on with our day.
It is also the ideal moment for coffee breaks, which helps us stay focused during meetings and after work hours!
References:
[1]: https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390444180004578018294057070544
Matt Vargas is an author and public speaking coach with a degree in sociology and more than ten years of practical experience. Matt is responsible for the empirical surveys at everyday-courtesy.com, is a passionate recreational musician, and blogs here about his experiences in the field of interpersonal communication.