Not Every Meeting Needs You

I hope everyone had a productive day at the office—free from unnecessary meetings. Today, I was brave enough to decline a few of them. But let me tell you, this courage didn’t come overnight—it took years to develop.

I understand that many of us struggle with saying no, and it's not just junior developers who face this issue; in fact, it often affects senior developers even more.

The Impact of Endless Meetings

Meetings can have a drastic impact on a developer’s productivity. I’ve seen people completely drained after just one or two. And don’t even ask me what happens when you go through a meeting marathon—it’s brutal.

At times, meetings feel like blockers that stand between you and real progress. If you’ve ever felt this way, trust me, you’re not alone.

Ask Yourself Before Accepting a Meeting

Before blindly accepting a meeting invite, ask yourself:

• What value will this meeting add to my knowledge?
• Will I lose something important if I don’t attend?
• Am I going to add value for others in the meeting?

If the answers don’t justify your presence, then it’s probably best to decline. More often than not, you’ll realize that skipping it was the right call—and believe me, your gut feeling is usually correct!

For Those Who Fear Saying No

If you constantly feel obligated to attend every meeting, it’s time to change that mindset. Own your time—it’s one of the most valuable things you have. You’re far more useful to yourself and your company when you spend your time adding value rather than attending meetings like a zombie.

If you’re unsure about skipping a meeting, ask your superiors for more details. Most of the time, they’ll be happy to clarify its importance—and if they can’t, that tells you something, doesn’t it?

Make the Most of Your Time

If you choose not to attend a meeting, make sure you respect your decision by actually doing something meaningful with that time. Today, I skipped a few unnecessary meetings, and instead, I focused on my development work—and I’m glad I did.

What’s your take on this? Have you ever skipped a meeting and felt more productive because of it? Let me know your thoughts!