How Introverts Can Manage Energy While Doing Business Networking Meetings?
Meetings help grow business but can drain introverts’ energy
Being an introvert and starting an online freelancing business was tough. Though staying at home and enjoying working from my favorite spot was a plus, the always-over-exceeding meetings took away my last ounce of energy.
The networking calls and client meetings are to a freelancer’s life like jelly is to peanut butter.
Except for when they drain you out of energy to meet deadlines.
I guess I shouldn’t complain because networking really brings out the best in freelancing. But I hate it when I have to sit through three meetings for more than an hour each on a single day.
Here’s the deal: I enjoy working alone in the quiet of my room. Yes, I can talk for hours, but only with a handful of people I’ve known for life. Like every typical introvert, getting on hours-long calls is the same as working out full-body cardio on the first day at the gym.
Let me explain why business networking calls can be a tiring gym day for me:
Why business networking calls can be nail-biting for introverts?
Freelancers usually connect with peers (and potential clients) over social media platforms. My favorite hanging spot is LinkedIn.
This is how the process of getting on a call goes:
- You chance upon a peer’s content or profile.
- You start engaging with them in comments or DMs.
- One day, you decide to hop on a call.
See, the problem is, I don’t know that person to get on a call for an hour without feeling nervous.
How can I break the ice?
Will the conversation be enjoyable for both of us?
Will I like them enough to want to continue discussing business with them for an hour?
Quite a few times, I’ve tried to end the meetings early because I didn’t vibe with the person behind the screen. We typical introverts don’t like sharing TMIs on the first day without bonding with someone.
Once, I spent 5 hours of my work day hopping on meeting after meeting. Finally, I couldn’t find time for work and slept to regain my lost energy.
Everyone has a different way of recharging. Introverts require “me time” to rejuvenate, whereas extroverts require social interaction. Introverts are easily overwhelmed by daily activities like meetings and social interactions, which are “normal” for others. After a tiring day of endless meetings, I’d rather grab a cup of coffee and watch my favorite sitcom than think of working.
That eventually hurt my work. Soon, I started spending more time recharging my energy than actually working. Believe me, I love staying busy. Spending idle days is a dream I don’t like to become a reality (maybe a story for another day). But being too busy made me completely drained.
That’s when I decided never to compromise my “me time” or work hours for business networking calls.
Yes, they’re essential, but when done within the limit I can endure.
How to limit call time to save energy?
Seriously, if you’re an introvert, you HAVE TO set healthy time boundaries to keep you sane.
Well, it’s easier said than done. I’d know because I still fight falling back into my old habit of saying yes to every single meeting.
Here’s how I try to save time and energy:
1. Schedule meetings during the not-so-productive hours of the day
We’re all productive at different hours of the day. Finding what time of the day makes you feel the most productive is crucial to having a healthy schedule, especially for introverts. We need to have stuff planned. Spontaneity is not for us.
For me, I’m the most productive before noon. My days start with 3 hours of focused work. So, I try to keep meetings only in the afternoon or, on rare occasions, in the evening. It helps me complete priority tasks early when I’m at maximum energy.
2. Schedule only as much as you can do comfortably
No more than 4 networking calls a month for this gal. I know people who can have meetings every single day. Not me.
Earlier, I used to beat myself up for scheduling more calls than I could handle, and I used to feel exhausted.
Now, I’ve become comfortable with who I am and how I work.
It’s better to work with your body, not against it.
I try to get on weekly calls with clients and peers. I prepare a list of people I want to have networking calls with and get a confirmation from them so I don’t go overboard. And sometimes even skip that if I know I won’t be able to stay up to the commitment.
3. Don’t go overtime
Meetings that extend over time for nothing are a bug biting every industry. You'll probably extend the meeting when you don’t have an agenda and are meeting just to chat.
I try to keep every meeting to a maximum of an hour. If the meeting goes overtime and I need to end it, I try to politely state my reasons for leaving.
Sometimes, just telling them that you have other work scheduled and have to end the call even though you enjoyed the chat helps.
But, there are times when the conversation is too good or important to leave. When it’s worthwhile, I break my rule and stay for longer.
4. Set and communicate boundaries
I know, it’s the same old cliche advice. But it’s difficult to implement it. I’ve been setting and crossing boundaries because I was too weak to speak up when needed. The thing with boundaries is we start feeling comfortable breaking them.
“It’s just for this once,” we say.
But it’s never just once. We get into the habit of stretching beyond our boundaries before we start seeing the effects.
I realized that the boundaries we set for ourselves must be communicated with others so they don’t cross them. You can’t expect them to know what you didn’t tell them, right? People won’t understand why I don’t meet in the mornings if I don’t tell them.
Just an honest dialogue would do.
“I don’t schedule meetings before noon as it’s my work time. Can we meet during the afternoon instead?”
“I enjoyed talking to you. But I have work scheduled for now. Can we end the call if you don’t mind?”
And I like to give them some options so they don’t feel they don’t have any say.
“I’d prefer an afternoon meeting, but I’m available for a call throughout this week. Does that sound good to you?”
5. Be comfortable saying NO
Being an HSP, I find it difficult to say NO as I think it’d hurt others’ feelings. I had to train myself to know that saying YES to others is sometimes saying NO to yourself. And the repercussions are severe.
I used to think, “What harm will it do? It’s just one meeting.”
But by doing so, we function ourselves into saying YES every time. Even when saying NO is in our best interest. Saying YES when your heart tells you NO means being only partially involved. It not only makes you inefficient but is also no good to the other person.
6. Don’t let schedule changes affect your work
I had a weird habit of sticking to my schedule to the T. Earlier, I couldn’t get on with other work if any commitment would get canceled. And I would end up wasting my time.
Weird, right?
It had to change when I started in the world of freelancing.
Not everything runs according to your clock here. Meetings get canceled, calls get extended over time, you get ghosted, deadlines get extended, and whatnot.
You have to be prepared.
Now I know better. I keep a backup task ready or an extra time window open should something get canceled or extended. Whenever I book a meeting in my schedule, I also assign that slot for some other work. So, even if the meeting gets canceled, my mind already has something else to keep it occupied.
I also expect meetings to get extended and keep the schedule flexible enough so I don’t beat myself up for running late.
What to do before getting on calls to avoid surprises?
Introverted freelancers, it’s okay to feel drained out after a meeting. That’s how we function — no need to go against your nature to meet your business goals.
Instead, try to know the person better before hopping on a call.
I now spend quality time chatting with peers in DMs before meeting them to eliminate surprises during the call. Knowing the person beforehand also makes me feel in control of the conversation. I can steer it in the direction I’m comfortable talking.
It also helps keep me away from people I don’t vibe with. Now, I often don’t regret getting on a call and wanting to leave midway.
Well, I can’t have a random chat with my prospects because, come on, they mean business.
But I try to qualify prospects before calls, so I know we won’t be wasting our time just to know we’re not a right fit for each other.
I’ve seen many introverts feel freelancing as an introvert is difficult. It’s not that we don’t like talking. But talking can be tiring for most of us.
Then, why not cater to your need to be more at peace while working?
It’s not impossible to manage your energy if you know only you’re responsible for it, no one else. You can’t expect others to change. You have to create a system that works best for you.
That’s what I do. Every day, I commit to being mindful of my energy and confidently handling calls as an introvert—one call at a time.
Thank you for reading!
