How Can We Make Meetings More Effective?

I work in a very collaborative organization. There are meetings — we have meetings before projects, during projects, after projects. We have catch-ups, stand-ups, one-to-ones, workshops, brainstorming sessions, and working meetings. What we do not have is any time to work.

We spend so much time in meetings that I cannot get anything done! This week, I had over 20 hours of scheduled meetings, plus a few unscheduled calls that got dropped on me at the last minute. This is not unusual.

How do we cut down on meetings, and make the meetings we do have more productive?