Meetings getting monotonous? Look on the bright side: it’s great that you’ve fallen into a groove with your team. Seriously, repetition makes the dream work (or something). That said, it doesn’t hurt to shake things up every now and then!
Here are a few of our favorite tips for livening up team meetings—so that, no matter what, you can continue having meetings that are actually fun.
1. Get on the move
Standing meetings are old news; take it up a notch by actually going on a walk around the parking lot while you work through your agenda. If you’re meeting virtually, segue into the meeting while you all do a round of easy desk stretches together.
Not only does extra movement throughout the day benefit your overall health, but studies have shown that moving while working on something helps to increase focus and makes it easier to retain important information. Having fun in a meeting while ensuring everyone remembers their To-Dos? Sign us up!
2. Focus on team wins
No one said you have to get straight down to business. There’s always something worth sharing—from birthdays to exciting life events and professional wins.
If you feel like your meetings are getting boring or lack engagement, check to make sure you’re giving people a chance to get excited. Even the smallest win can have a huge impact on how positive your team’s experience is. Plus, it contributes to team community-building in a major way.
3. Switch up the host
If the same person runs the same meeting day in and day out, things are going to get redundant. And most of the time, redundant = boring = ugh. If the size of your team and time frame allows it, consider assigning each person a specific date that they’re in charge of running the meeting.
Note: this means their meeting, their rules. If they always start their meetings with a specific type of icebreaker, you should do that icebreaker. If they want to try and expedite the meeting to be as efficient as possible, make sure to prep well in advance. Don’t be afraid to lean into each others’ unique meeting style preferences. You might be surprised at how much you learn about each other!
4. Change up the scenery
This one is very easy, but makes a huge difference. All you need to do is have your meeting somewhere you don’t usually have it. It doesn’t even need to be anything fancy (unless of course, you want it to be!). Break the routine by having your meeting over lunch or in a different conference room. If you’re working from home, try taking your laptop outside.
Studies show that performing tasks in different locations is an easy way to increase productivity, not to mention the fact that it’s a proven mood-booster. Whether you’re in a different place every time, or you choose one meeting per month to make the switch, keeping your team on their toes will help boost creativity and lead to more productive and fun meetings overall.