A Case for Meeting IRL

ICYMI: IRL = IN REAL LIFE

The pandemic set off a series of new habits that were necessary to stay safe and keep businesses running. Work from home, online project-management tools, productivity apps, and video meetings became the norm almost overnight. Some businesses already had these protocols in place, but for many of us, this was an entirely new way of working.

The most talked-about norm became Zoom calls. Akin to “Kleenex,” everyone started referring to any internet meeting as a “Zoom,” regardless if you used Teams, FaceTime, Google Chat, or BlueJeans (remember that one?). A marketing coup if there ever was one. 

These tools were critical for keeping work moving forward and provided a sense of real-time connection—the next best thing to being in the same room, many claimed. They also came with a few unexpected perks: getting away with having only the top half of your body “meeting-ready” and the comforting fact that no one knew whether you’d brushed your teeth or not, assuming you’ve cleared out the poppyseeds from that morning muffin.

It didn’t take long before many of us began to feel the fatigue of constant video calls. Speaking to a sea of blank faces—or worse, camera-off black boxes—can be draining. And let’s be honest: most of us have been guilty of half-listening while multitasking, or getting distracted by something happening in the background. You notice the bookshelf. You clock the artwork. You wonder if that plant is real. And the cats. You want to see a cat.

To be fair, distraction isn’t entirely our fault. These platforms are designed to keep us engaged and distracted within the app itself. We’re encouraged to use chat while someone is speaking, spin off side conversations in DMs, or click links that pull us into a whole new constellation of open tabs, or use comical effects filters. Even with the best intentions, it’s easy to lose the thread while searching for the animated clap emoji or holding perfectly still with two peace signs raised, waiting for the confetti to fall. The confetti feels productive—but it doesn’t always mean we caught what was said.

Of course, blank stares and drifting attention can happen in a room full of people, too. But there’s a different kind of magic that happens when we’re together in real life. Shared space carries an energy that goes beyond facial expressions. It allows for non-verbal cues, subconscious reactions, and the kind of spontaneous back-and-forth that’s difficult to replicate through a screen. Ideas build more naturally when people can riff in real time, read the room, and respond without a pause, a mute button, or a moment of technical issues.

Being together also creates a sense of momentum that’s hard to manufacture remotely. There’s an aliveness to in-person collaboration—laughter lands differently, silences resolve faster, and creative leaps feel less forced. The work becomes more social, more fluid, and often more fun. That human-to-human interaction doesn’t just feel better; it helps lubricate ideas, deepen understanding, and move projects forward with greater ease.

When people are physically present, there’s also a subtle but meaningful accountability to one another. Attention is visible. Engagement feels mutual. And that shift often makes it easier to understand intent, offer constructive feedback, and move ideas forward with generosity rather than defensiveness. Depending on your role, being in the room may mean helping steer the energy, or simply reinforcing what’s already working. Either way, that shared experience often creates clarity faster than a calendar full of calls.

Zoom is here to stay, and it has made work easier and more flexible in countless ways. But it isn’t always the fastest—or most fulfilling—path forward. We’re all busy. We’re all trying to do more with less time. Still, making space for the occasional in-person meeting can pay dividends, strengthening collaboration, accelerating decision-making, and deepening relationships with both teammates and partners. Creativity doesn’t live entirely in agendas and action items—it often emerges from shared energy, unspoken cues, and the simple act of being in the same room. Sometimes, the longer way around turns out to be the most efficient route after all.