Episode: 647

Episode Title: Don’t Waste Their Mornings

If you’re a morning person, you know the frustration of spending that productive time in daily meetings. Here’s why it should change, next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 647 show:

Hello and welcome to The Perna Syndicate! This week we’re talking about the small stuff at work that can quickly become big stuff—big enough to cause someone to quit. And one of those little things is how you do mornings.

If you’re a morning person, you know that that’s your clearest mental time of the day. And you’re not alone. According to recent research by Coda, 69% of respondents said they do their best, most focused work in the morning. 

This begs the question: why are so many organizations interrupting that productive timeframe with daily check-in meetings? It’s like the day can’t officially start until we’ve all sat around and waited our turn to talk about what we’re going to get done that day. Meanwhile, the morning is ticking away. 

Instead, Coda suggests, leaders should leave people alone in the morning to get their work done. Then, after that highly productive period, do a daily standup in the afternoon to talk through what’s needed for tomorrow.

But what if you’re not a morning person? The study found that 31% said that afternoons and evenings are their best times for focused work. So ultimately, the way your workday flows should be in tune with the team’s consensus in this area. 

The big idea is to not waste people’s most productive times of the day in meetings and check-ins that could easily be done at other times. It’s a detail, sure—but one that could have an outsized impact on how your team experiences the workday. 

Tomorrow: how much time do you waste sorting through email? On The Perna Syndicate next time, let’s talk about your inbox and how companies can make it better. See you then!