This meeting could have been an email: the game
Meeting reminders count down on your monitor, one at a time. Press the button to say this meeting could have been an email, and press as late as you dare.
Email it at the last second. Press when the clock says Starting now.
On shift
An ordinary Tuesday. Some meetings get moved up.
Done for todayToday's round done
- Your bestBest
- Next round
An ordinary Tuesday. Some meetings get moved up.
Today's round Focus banked 0 Calendar free 8 h Strikes 0 of 3
Paused
You're on a break. The clock waits until you press Resume.
Space at Starting now.
Tap at Starting now.
Scroll up to see the monitor. The day starts when it is in view.
Time card
- Meeting or Email , Not punched yet
- Boss Key , Not punched yet
- Reorg , Not punched yet
- Seen and Gone , Not punched yet
- You're on Mute , Not punched yet
- Work memes , Not punched yet
- Pizza Party , Not punched yet
- Expense Report , Not punched yet
- Self-Review , Not punched yet
- Close the Door , Not punched yet
- Trust Fall , Not punched yet
- Jargon quiz , Not punched yet
- Real or fake , Not punched yet
- The Application , Not punched yet
- Reply game , Not punched yet
The next shift starts at midnight.
How to play Meeting or Email
15 meeting reminders pop up, one at a time, each with a countdown. Every one could have been an email.
You get one button, labeled Could be an email. Press it, or Space, to send the meeting back as an email. The longer you wait, the more points you get.
Press at the last moment
The reminder’s clock counts down the minutes, like Starts in 40 min, then Starts in 20 min. In the last split second it lights up and says Starting now. Press Could be an email at that moment for the most points.
If the countdown runs out, you’re stuck in the meeting. That’s a strike. Three strikes end your day.
Good to know
- Later in the day, the countdowns get more random.
- Sometimes a meeting gets moved up. Its clock turns red and jumps ahead, but the jump always stops short of Starting now.
- If it’s too fast, turn on Take your time to play at half speed. Pause stops the clock.
How Meeting or Email scores
| What you do | Points |
|---|---|
| Press early | 1 to 5 |
| Press at Starting now | 10 to 20, more the later you press |
| 3 in a row at Starting now | Those points ×2 |
| 6 in a row at Starting now | Those points ×3 |
| Press early or get stuck in a meeting | The bonus drops back one step |
| Free time on your calendar at 5 pm | 1 per minute |
| Each meeting you got stuck in | 1 hour less free time |
The best possible score is 1,200. That means every press at the very last moment, and no meetings.
| Score | Grade |
|---|---|
| 1,080 or more, and no strikes | Exceeds expectations |
| Any strike | Meets expectations at best |
| 3 strikes | Performance plan |
Daily and solo rounds
Everyone who plays the daily round gets the same reminders and countdowns that day. A solo round gives you new ones each time. The game has 1,311 meeting titles.
This meeting could have been an email
What the numbers say
Most meetings could be shorter. 80% of knowledge workers say most of theirs could run at half the length.
| Knowledge workers who | Share |
|---|---|
| Often sit in meetings with no goal on the invite | 62% |
| Often sit through a meeting that ends by booking the next one | 77% |
The most common meeting length is 30 minutes, at 45% of all meetings. Of recurring meetings, 64% have no agenda.
When the week fills up
Tuesday is the busiest day for meetings, with 23% of the week’s total. Friday is the quietest, at 16%. Meetings that start after 8 pm are up 16% from the year before.
Standups, touch bases and FYIs
All three can go in writing when nobody has to decide anything.
In Scrum, the daily standup lasts 15 minutes. If yours runs longer, people are reading out updates the team chat could have carried.
A touch base is a quick call to check where something stands. If the answer is “on track”, one line of email covers it. When the call ends with a plan to circle back, another meeting is coming.
FYI meetings exist so someone can read out what’s already written down. The follow-up note that says “as discussed” is the meeting version of per my last email.
Questions about meetings that could have been emails
What does 'this meeting could have been an email' mean?
The meeting only passed on information. Nobody had to discuss or decide anything, so a short written note would have done the job.
How do you play Meeting or Email?
Each reminder announces a meeting that could have been an email, and you press the button to send it back. A late press banks more focus than an early one. Wait too long and you're in the meeting.
When is the best time to press?
When the reminder's clock says Starting now. That's the last moment before the meeting, and it pays at least twice the best early press.
How do you say this meeting could have been an email, politely?
Ask for the update in writing before the meeting starts. Try 'Please send the key points by email, and I'll reply with any questions.' It makes the same point without the eye roll.
How do you know a meeting could have been an email?
Check the invite: if it names no goal and no decision, an email would do. Other signs are updates read out in turn and a meeting whose last item is booking another. 62% of knowledge workers say they often sit in meetings whose invite has no goal.