Anyone who has ever sat through an unproductive or mundane meeting can attest that some meetings did not need to happen in the first place.
In recent years, a social media phenomenon known as the “meme” has taken our virtual world by storm.
People share memes for various reasons.
Whether people seek to incite a laugh, foster a conversation, or relate with others, memes have potential.
What are “This Could Have Been an Email” Memes?
“This could have been an email” memes are photos that typically feature a person in distress or bored out of their mind.
The text accompanying the picture usually says something that accurately highlights how unnecessary the meeting was for everyone involved.
The meme also states that the meeting’s contents would have been better placed in an email.
People use these memes in a variety of ways. Some people post them to social media in hopes of garnering likes and comments agreeing with their sentiments.
Others find ways to get more creative with them and use them in their professional work environment.
Some people have even gone so far as to share these emails with their bosses.
Whether you do that or not is up to you, but we recommend having a great connection with yours before trying this!
If this issue is something you struggle with, also see our list of productivity quotes.
Hopefully this will help boost meeting interest!
Types of “This Could Have Been an Email” Memes
Despite the similar theme, several different types of memes project this message.
Several things cause employees to dread going to a meeting, and it is not always about the content presented.
It all depends on the tone you wish to convey to your audience!
Here are the different types of meeting memes.
Memes About Inefficient and Unproductive Meetings
Nobody likes a meeting where nothing gets accomplished, and these memes showcase that particular struggle.
Spinning your wheels in a professional meeting is, undoubtedly, one of the most frustrating things that can happen at work.
Wasted time is time you don’t get to redo, and it can hurt a company and damage morale quickly.
Fortunately, memes that relate to this topic help ease the pain, if even just slightly.
These are the meetings that do the opposite of the productivity hacks we have listed for you.
Memes About Boring Meetings
There’s nothing quite like the painful experience of an early morning meeting that drags along at a snail’s pace.
Another painful experience is when someone presents a slideshow and proceeds to read directly off the slides for the entirety of the meeting.
These are excellent examples of meetings that could have been an email, and plenty of available memes perfectly articulate their struggle.
Most people don’t look forward to meetings in the first place. However, they especially hate them if they drag on and never seem to end.
Memes About Long Meetings
It is a perfectly understood fact that people can only focus on one topic for a set amount of time before productivity begins to wane.
Meetings that ignore this general understanding move into the unproductive category rather quickly, and the point of the meeting becomes moot.
Studies show that the ideal amount of time for a meeting is one hour or less, with 25 – 30 minutes being the sweet spot.
Any longer and people become bored, distracted, or disengaged.
Even though these meetings are lengthy, they probably could have been summed up in an email, and that’s just what memes can highlight.
The pain of overlong meetings stings a little less with some humor injected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although memes are lighthearted and meant for fun purposes, they can trigger a few questions depending on their use.
Here are the most common questions we receive on this topic.
What is the “This Could Have Been an Email” Song?
There is a catchy tune that a standalone user posted to YouTube in 2019 that highlights the struggle discussed above.
The song’s lyrics discuss how we live in the digital age, which should cancel any need to hold an unnecessary meeting.
Instead, the song pushes the listener to resort to email, FaceTime, or text messaging to save everyone’s time.
Where Did the “This Could Have Been an Email” Originate From?
There’s not much information regarding the origins of this infamous line.
With all the meme generators people use daily, it’s impossible to track where it all began.
It’s safe to say that whoever began this relatable craze gave us all something to laugh about, and we thank them for their contributions!
Wrapping Up
The “this could have been an email” meme has given the working American something to chuckle, despite the pain of how true it can be.
People continue to get creative with them, and the result gets funnier each time.
Although the urge to send these memes to your boss may be intense, we recommend going about it more proactively.
Perhaps make it a talking point between your boss and some colleagues.
This choice keeps the dialogue flowing and workplace morale high.
Check out our tips online if you need to suggest a productivity tool to your friends or coworkers.
