There’s always someone who claims they “thrive” on back-to-back meetings. Ignore them.
You know the truth: nobody does good work after six straight hours glued to Zoom, no matter how many times they say “it’s fine.”
A Day Without Ma
Let’s see.
First meeting ends 9:59.
Second starts at 10:00—technically.
By 10:07 you’re already two tabs deep into the wrong project, your bladder’s pleading, and half the last meeting is leaking out your ears.
You’re not present—you’re lagging behind, carrying all that digital static into the next call.
I’ve tried pretending that doesn’t matter. I was wrong.
Nothing ruins credibility faster than calling a client “Matt” when their name’s Sam. (Sorry, Sam.)
What’s the Fix?
Not more hustle. Not fancier task apps.
You need space.
Literal white space, like the pause between paragraphs, or the breath before you answer a hard question.
Start calling it a Ma Buffer—an intentional gap between meetings or tasks. Ten, maybe fifteen minutes. Not a break for more emails, but a chance to let your brain catch up.
Doesn’t sound radical, but it is.
Why Don’t We Already Do This?
Because the calendar default is still “full.”
Because “busy” looks impressive.
Because if you never schedule space, you always run out.
Ask anyone whose day ends with a headache and a blank stare at their own notes: is maximum utilisation really working?
Some Things I’ve Tried
- Scheduling “speedy meetings” in Google Calendar (ends 5–10 mins early).
- Actually leaving my desk. Yes, even if it means missing the first minute of the next call.
- Writing one line from the last meeting before starting the next. Sometimes the only thing I remember.
It’s messy. Sometimes my buffer gets stolen by someone else’s overrun. Sometimes I sabotage it myself—old habits.
But the days with a Ma Buffer?
I sound less like a frazzled AI, more like a person. I remember names. I even have the odd original thought.
Try This
Tomorrow, just once, add a real gap.
When someone tries to squeeze “one more thing” into it, politely say you’re not available. (You are—to yourself.)
Notice how your next meeting feels.
Notice if your ideas turn up on time, instead of five minutes late.
If You Need a Reason Beyond “It Feels Better”
Microsoft did the research: back-to-back meetings literally stress your brain.
UX people talk about “white space” for a reason—it’s the only thing that makes content readable, or days survivable.
Reluctant Realisation
For the longest time I thought being back-to-back meant being important.
Turns out, it’s just being replaceable—because no one remembers the zombie in meeting five.
Last Line in the Sand
I’ll never again book six calls in a row. Not because I’m lazy, but because I finally want to remember what happened in the fourth one.
That’s the Ma Buffer.
No app required.
Just the guts to keep one tiny space on your calendar blank—and the wisdom to defend it.
If you try it, and your brain doesn’t thank you, fair enough. But I’m betting you’ll remember at least one meeting that you’d otherwise have forgotten. That’s worth a blank box, isn’t it?