Gone are the days when we used to wake up 2 hours earlier for our meetings, ate food, dressed properly from head to toe, and made sure our breath was fresh before interacting with others – now, things have changed. The world has adapted to many new things as a result of the pandemic, and one of those things is the rise of online meetings.

Do you wear your formal pants or skirt below your business shirt, or do your rock shorts like me? I mean, we have to find shortcuts, right? Apart from the little fun things we do to make ourselves more comfortable, there are some Dos and Don’ts for online meetings that should be kept in mind.

Online Meetings: Do this and Don’t do that

Follow an agenda
Due to its convenience, many online meetings are called without having an agenda. Unless you are simply connecting with someone for a quick Q&A, an agenda should be created for online meetings.

Check your technology
With the use of so many different meeting applications, it is important to make sure that your system is ready to successfully connect prior to the start of the meeting.

Don’t Multitask
You should avoid engaging in other activities. Often your colleagues can tell whether you are fully engaged.

Clean your desktop before sharing
Nobody needs to see your privately named folders that may raise questions. Make sure you have everything that may be inappropriate removed from view before sharing your screen. Another thing to keep in mind is blocking notification during meetings, especially if you often get personal IM messages.

Don’t talk over people
One of the weirdest situations I have seen people get in is the talking moment where everyone just rumbles on over each other. An online should be conducted like an actual meeting, where one person talks at a time. Apply meeting etiquette to online meetings.

Don’t forget the mute button
Even if you think you are silent, the noise around the virtual meeting can quickly become unbearable and distracting. Additionally, working from home increases the likelihood of children, pets, or traffic noises. So, make sure to mute when you are not the one talking.