How many back-to-back meetings do you have in a week?
For many, back-to-back meetings have become a standard part of the pandemic world. As soon as one meeting ends, you barely have time for a sip of water before another begins. Microsoft Teams, the solution behind many of those meetings, recently revealed some findings on how our everyday interactions are really affecting us.
According to the research, breaks are absolutely essential if we want to improve our ability to engage and focus in meetings. According to Jared Spataro, CVP of Microsoft 365, back-to-back meetings simply aren’t sustainable.
What the Research Found
Microsoft’s research revealed that breaks between meetings are essential in allowing the brain to reset and reduce the ongoing build-up of stress from one meeting to the next. Two straight hours of back-to-back meetings in a previous study showed beta waves (stress waves) increasing over time. However, when participants took a break, the waves reset.
Microsoft went on to note that when participants had meditation breaks between meetings, their brainwaves had better frontal alpha asymmetry. This basically means they were more engaged during the meeting.
Additionally, if being in a constant meeting wasn’t problematic enough, jumping between meetings can be a high source of stress too. Participants not taking breaks in Microsoft’s studies saw peaks in stress when they were moving between calls.
The takeaway, according to Microsoft, is that we all need to embed more breaks into our daily practices, particularly when it comes to meetings.
