If you are always moaning about the number of meetings you have to attend, then almost certainly you do have too many meetings. The pandemic – and the forced switch to Zoom and Teams and the like for meetings – has opened up meetings to all.
Just because all can attend, it doesn’t mean that all should attend.As many as possible should avoid the meeting and be doing some productive work. They can be informed about the meeting later … well, the key decisions and actions anyway.
So next time you hold or organise a meeting, take as much time over the attendance list as you do over the agenda. Why are people being invited? What will they add? What contribution can they make? Do they need to be consulted … or just informed about outcomes?
Can you stop their suffering and leave them off the invitation list?