I never dreamed of being a specialist in meetings - but here we are.
20+ years in corporate life taught me this: it’s not the work that burns people out—it’s how we come together to do it.
Meetings are the common thread. Too often, they’re rushed, unfocused, and draining. We’ve normalised dysfunctional meeting cultures—even though they waste millions of pounds* and quietly drive good people away in search of something better. People like me.
We spend most of our waking hours at work and far too many hours lost in meetings that sap our time, energy and motivation. Something has to change - life is too short for bad meetings!
(*) Meetings aren’t just annoying—they’re expensive. Research shows a third are unproductive, and many people attend meetings they don’t need. For large organisations, that adds up to millions every year.
How Mindful Meetings Started
While introducing colleagues to Mural (my favourite digital collaboration tool), I quickly realised the technology for collaboration is only as effective as the facilitation skills of the person using it. Because I had been trained as a facilitator early career, I'd assumed others had received similar training.
The truth surprised me: most people are never actually taught how to design or run a meeting, let alone a workshop or an asynchronous collaboration session.
We simply absorb what we see around us - developing bad habits and inheriting practices that may (or may not) be effective.
The seed of an idea was planted.
Working with a group of students at Brighton University to validate my thinking for Mindful Meetings, their research revealed something telling: "Julia, the biggest risk to your business idea is that meetings have been studied by academics for years—and the willingness to change is minimal."
It's a stubborn problem.
But the advice from the students only made me more curious and determined to find a way to help leaders solve the problem of meetings. And this is where my extensive experience as a business analyst has come in handy, I am able to apply a systems thinking and change management lens across the work I do.
An Unexpected Turn
Shortly after starting Mindful Meetings, I was diagnosed as autistic. I’ve always been autistic, I just didn’t realise it and have become very good of hiding it (masking). It came as a surprise to me - but on reflection, it explains a lot.
It explains why I much prefer facilitating meetings to participating in them.
Why I thrive in some workplaces, and burn out in others.
Being autistic, I'm constantly scanning my environment, picking up on subtle cues and trying to figure out how to fit in. It's exhausting but it means that I’m very good at reading a room.
The thing is - it's not just autistic people who struggle with meetings. We all do. I've watched many brilliant colleagues teeter on the edge of burnout, overwhelmed not just by workload, but by the way we work together.
Learning about my own neurodivergence has only deepened my commitment to what I'm building with Mindful Meetings. I genuinely believe that if we designed meetings to be inclusive by default, we'd get better outcomes for everyone.
I've always said: many minds make light work.
But when a small handful of voices dominate - we lose the insight, experience and ideas in the room. People feel undervalued and they disengage.
Mindful Meetings is here to change that.
Where to From Here?
This isn't just about making meetings slightly better.
It's about making work work better—for your people (and your bottom line).
I help leaders take a fresh look at how time is being spent, what's getting in the way of great work, and how hybrid working can be shaped to bring out the best in your team.
Together, we free up capacity, reduce burnout and stop wasting time (and money) on meetings that go nowhere.
My clients gain confidence to lead great meetings and bring people together effectively. They see improvements in team dynamics and get the job done faster in more enjoyable ways. Best of all, there's a ripple effect as others learn from experiencing well-facilitated collaboration.
If you're ready to shift the way your team works, Mindful Meetings is here to help. Book an introductory call and let's talk.
With kindness,
Julia