Meeting minutes

Stop using the default meeting duration.

Most work calendar applications will default to 30 minute or 1 hour meetings. This feature is meant to add convenience. But really it just encourages laziness.

We waste precious and expensive time in meetings because they’re unfocused and scheduled for longer than they should be.

If the purpose of your meeting can be accomplished in 10 minutes – schedule it for 10 minutes.

People get incredibly lazy with their meetings when they’re allowed to default to 30 minute increments. Agendas are sloppy or not existent. The expected outcome of the meeting is vague at best.

Make it your habit to customize the length of your meeting to fit your need. This habit will do two things for you.

1. It will force you to prepare for an effective meeting. Your agenda will be sharper and will help clarify the outcome you need to accomplish.
2. It will boost your credibility with your colleagues. I guarantee that people will show up to your meeting more focused if they know you’ve committed to ending 10 minutes sooner than every other meeting on their calendar.

Remember that meetings are interruptions, and interruptions are the enemy of productivity.

Don’t be lazy. Don’t do what everyone else does. Be intentional with the meetings you schedule.