Why We Spend So Much Time at Work on Things that Don't Matter

The less important something is, the more time is spent on it.

When a topic is simple and easy to grasp, like a bike shed, we will tend to have an opinion on it and thus more to say.

Even if we don't, we'll still say something so that:

• We don't look stupid in front of our peers.
• It looks like we're contributing.

Prevent bike-shedding with a clear purpose and objective. Ensure that your meetings have a clearly defined purpose or desired outcome.

• Fewer cooks in the kitchen generally leads to a better meal.
• Be ruthless about limiting the size of the meeting.
• If a big meeting is unavoidable, do your best to share both the purpose and relevant information ahead of time to increase the chances that participants will have something of value to say