We’ve all been there—back-to-back calls leaving us drained, staring at screens until our thoughts blur. I used to dread Mondays, not because of the work, but because of the endless meetings. Then I noticed something: my energy, focus, and even mood shifted with the seasons. And so did how I used online meetings. It wasn’t about working harder—it was about syncing with natural rhythms. What if the key to better meetings isn’t more discipline, but better timing? That simple question changed everything for me.

The Winter Meeting Slump: When Screens Feel Heavier

There’s a particular kind of exhaustion that settles in during winter—one that doesn’t go away after a good night’s sleep. I remember one January morning, sitting through my third video call before 10 a.m., blinking hard to stay focused. The sky outside was still gray, my coffee was lukewarm, and I could feel my brain moving through molasses. I wasn’t lazy. I wasn’t unmotivated. I was fighting against my body’s natural rhythm.

Winter brings shorter days and longer nights, and with them, a dip in serotonin and melatonin levels. This isn’t just about feeling sleepy—it’s about how our brains process information, manage stress, and stay emotionally balanced. Virtual meetings, which already demand more cognitive effort than in-person ones, become even harder when our bodies are craving rest. We’re asking ourselves to be ‘on’ when nature is whispering, ‘slow down.’

I started noticing patterns. My attention would fade most between 2 and 4 p.m., especially on overcast days. I’d leave calls feeling more drained than before, even if nothing intense had happened. At first, I blamed myself—maybe I wasn’t drinking enough water, or I needed better lighting. But the truth was deeper: I was scheduling high-energy meetings during my body’s natural downtime.

Once I stopped seeing this as a personal failing and started viewing it as a biological rhythm, everything shifted. I began tracking my energy levels like I would track my steps or sleep. I used a simple note in my phone: ‘How did that call feel? Focused? Foggy? Drained?’ Over time, a clear pattern emerged. My mental clarity peaked later in the day, around 10 a.m. to noon, then dipped sharply in the afternoon. Armed with that knowledge, I started reshaping my calendar—not to fight winter, but to flow with it.

Spring Awakening: Resetting the Meeting Mindset

Then came March. The days began to lengthen. A little more sunlight slipped through my bedroom blinds each morning. I noticed I wasn’t hitting snooze as much. My thoughts felt sharper by 8 a.m., and I actually looked forward to connecting with my team. It was as if my brain had woken up from a long nap.

This shift wasn’t just in my head—it was in my biology. Spring brings increased daylight, which boosts serotonin and regulates circadian rhythms. Our bodies naturally become more alert, more open to new ideas, and more socially engaged. I realized this was the perfect time to reset my meeting habits, not with force, but with flow.

I started small. Instead of jumping into a morning call, I blocked the first hour of my day for planning. I’d review my priorities, jot down ideas, and set intentions—no camera, no pressure. Then, I grouped my meetings into a tighter window, usually between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. This left the rest of the afternoon free for deep work, creative thinking, or even a walk outside. The difference was immediate. I felt more in control. My focus improved. And I wasn’t constantly switching gears.

One of the biggest changes? I stopped saying yes to every meeting request. I started asking, ‘Does this need to be a call, or can it wait for an email?’ If it could wait, it did. If it needed discussion, I made sure it had a clear agenda and time limit. My team noticed. ‘You seem more present,’ one colleague said. ‘Like you’re actually listening.’ That meant more to me than any productivity metric.

Spring taught me that energy isn’t something we have to manufacture—it’s something we can align with. When we sync our work rhythms with the natural world, we don’t just get more done. We feel better while doing it.

Summer Mode: Shorter, Lighter, and Outside the Box

By June, the pace of life had changed. The sun rose early, the air was warm, and I found myself craving movement. Sitting still for an hour on a video call felt unnatural, even oppressive. That’s when I decided to rethink what a ‘meeting’ could be.

I started experimenting with audio-only check-ins. Instead of scheduling a 30-minute Zoom, I’d send a two-minute voice note summarizing updates. My team could listen while walking the dog, making lunch, or folding laundry. We’d respond the same way. No cameras. No formal setup. Just connection, on our own terms.

For the meetings we did have, I made them shorter and more focused. I set a rule: if it can be solved in 15 minutes, it shouldn’t take 30. I used shared documents to track progress, so we didn’t need status updates in real time. And when possible, I moved calls outside—literally. A phone call while walking through the park, a brainstorming session on a bench under a tree. The change was subtle but powerful. Ideas flowed more easily. Stress levels dropped. We laughed more.

One of my favorite shifts was replacing our weekly team call with a shared voice thread. Each person recorded a quick update—what they’d accomplished, what they needed help with, one thing they were excited about. We’d listen during the week and respond as needed. It took the pressure off everyone to ‘perform’ on camera, and it gave us more flexibility. A mom on my team told me she loved being able to listen while driving her kids to camp. A single dad said he could catch up during his morning jog. This wasn’t just about convenience—it was about respect for real life.

Summer reminded me that connection doesn’t have to be rigid. It can be light, flexible, and human. And sometimes, the best ideas don’t come from a screen—they come from a walk, a breath of fresh air, or a moment of stillness.

Autumn Alignment: Preparing for Sustainable Rhythm

As the leaves began to turn, so did the rhythm of my days. The kids went back to school. Routines returned. The slow, open-ended pace of summer gave way to structure. But instead of falling back into old habits, I used this transition as a chance to build something better.

I started with a simple question: What worked this year? What didn’t? I looked back at my calendar from the past few months and did a ‘meeting audit.’ I flagged every recurring call and asked: Does this still serve us? Is it moving work forward? Could it be an email? A quick message? A shared doc?

Sounds simple, right? But it was eye-opening. I realized I’d kept several meetings on my calendar out of habit, not necessity. One was a biweekly sync that rarely had updates. Another was a monthly review that could easily be done asynchronously. I let them go—politely, clearly, and without guilt. And in their place, I built space.

That space became sacred. I used it for focused work, for family time, for walks without my phone. I also used it to plan ahead. I designed a seasonal meeting calendar—lighter in winter, more collaborative in spring and fall, flexible in summer. I shared it with my team and invited them to do the same. We agreed on ‘focus hours’—times when no meetings would be scheduled, so everyone could protect their energy.

One of the most powerful shifts? We started labeling meetings with energy levels. Low-energy meetings—quick check-ins, updates—were scheduled for afternoons in winter. High-energy meetings—brainstorms, planning sessions—were reserved for mornings in spring and fall. It sounds small, but it changed the tone of our work. We weren’t just managing time. We were honoring energy.

Autumn became my favorite season for planning. Not because it’s about control, but because it’s about preparation. By aligning our habits with the rhythm of the year, we weren’t just surviving winter—we were ready for it.

Tools That Follow the Seasons, Not Fight Them

Here’s the truth: technology doesn’t have to be the enemy. I used to think I needed more apps, more gadgets, more hacks to stay on top of my schedule. But what I really needed was to use the tools I already had—smarter.

My calendar, for example, became more than just a list of meetings. I color-coded it by energy level. Blue for deep work. Green for low-energy calls. Yellow for collaborative sessions. Red for personal time—no exceptions. I set recurring reminders to review my meeting load every season. Every March, June, September, and December, I’d spend 30 minutes asking: Is this still working? Do I need to adjust?

I also started using mute-by-default settings on my calls. It sounds small, but it reduced the pressure to be ‘on’ the moment a meeting started. I could take a breath, gather my thoughts, and unmute when I was ready. I encouraged my team to do the same. No more frantic muting and unmuting. Just calm, intentional communication.

Another game-changer? Auto-summaries. Many platforms now offer AI-powered meeting notes that capture key points and action items. I started using them religiously. Instead of spending 20 minutes writing follow-ups, I could review a summary, add a comment, and move on. It saved time, yes—but more importantly, it reduced mental clutter.

The goal wasn’t to eliminate technology. It was to make it work for me, not against me. I didn’t need a new app. I needed a new mindset. When we stop trying to force ourselves into a rigid system and start adapting our tools to our natural rhythms, everything becomes easier.

The Ripple Effect: Calmer Calls, Stronger Connections

You know what surprised me most? How my changes didn’t just affect me—they affected everyone around me. When I started protecting my energy, my team did too. When I said no to unnecessary meetings, others felt permission to do the same. And when I showed up more present, more focused, more human, our conversations changed.

One day, a colleague said to me, ‘You seem… lighter lately.’ I wasn’t doing anything dramatic. I wasn’t working less. I wasn’t avoiding responsibility. I was just more in tune with myself. And that made all the difference.

Fewer meetings meant more meaningful ones. We stopped scheduling calls ‘just to check in’ and started asking, ‘What do we need to discuss?’ The quality of our communication improved. We listened better. We collaborated more deeply. And we built more trust—because we weren’t just talking. We were showing up.

It wasn’t just at work, either. At home, I had more patience. I was more present with my family. I wasn’t mentally exhausted by 6 p.m. I could cook dinner without checking my phone every five minutes. I could laugh with my kids without feeling like I was behind on something.

That’s the ripple effect of aligning with your rhythm. It’s not just about productivity. It’s about presence. It’s about showing up as the person you want to be—not the one your calendar forces you to be.

A Year in Rhythm: Building a Life That Works With You

Looking back, I can see how far I’ve come. From dreading Mondays to welcoming them. From feeling trapped by my calendar to feeling in sync with my life. It wasn’t one big change that made the difference. It was a series of small, intentional shifts—each one rooted in listening to my body, my energy, my seasons.

I used to think balance meant doing everything at once. Now I know it means doing the right things at the right time. Just like we eat when we’re hungry, sleep when we’re tired, and rest when we’re worn out, we can meet when we’re ready—when we have the energy, the focus, the presence to truly connect.

Your meeting habits are not just about work. They’re part of your well-being. They affect your mood, your focus, your relationships. They’re as important as your sleep schedule or your diet. And they’re worth tuning.

So here’s my invitation to you: try one small seasonal adjustment. Maybe it’s moving your calls later in winter. Maybe it’s replacing one video meeting with a voice note in summer. Maybe it’s doing a meeting audit in the fall. See how it feels. Notice the difference in your energy, your focus, your joy.

You don’t have to overhaul your life. You just have to start listening. Because when we stop fighting our rhythms and start flowing with them, we don’t just work better. We live better. And that’s a rhythm worth following.