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Why Shorter Meetings Serve Everyone Better
Once you stop offering one-hour meetings, you realize how much time you were giving away. This week, I revisited the habit of eliminating long meetings, and it confirmed something I already knew: shorter, focused meetings work better for everyone involved.
What Worked Well
I stopped offering hour-long meetings years ago. Most of my scheduled calls are now 15 or 30 minutes—and they’re more productive that way. The only exception I’ve made is for BNI one-to-ones, which tend to be an hour by default. To manage that, I keep those blocks hidden from my public calendar.
Challenges: Making Room for BNI Without Disrupting Client Workflows
It’s easy to fall back into the habit of long meetings when you’re part of a group like BNI. To avoid that bleeding into client scheduling, I hid my BNI one-hour slots from Calendly so clients wouldn’t mistakenly grab more of my day than needed.
A Surprising Benefit: Less Small Talk, More Clarity
Shorter meetings lead to quicker decisions. Cutting the hour to 30 minutes means less rambling, more action. We get to the point faster, and that benefits both me and my clients.
Tools & Resources That Helped
- Calendly – I use this to manage availability and restrict meeting lengths.
- ChatGPT – I occasionally generate quick agendas to send in advance so everyone’s prepared.
Lessons Learned
This habit is second nature to me now, but reflecting on it reminded me just how much it’s improved my workflow. I used to drive an hour to have one-hour meetings in person—and that time adds up fast. Now I protect those hours for actual work.
Moving Forward
I’ll continue to keep one-hour blocks hidden and rare. When I do need one, it’s intentional. I also plan to refine my agenda templates so shorter meetings stay focused.
How You Can Implement This Habit
If you’re still offering one-hour meetings, start by adjusting your scheduler—no announcement needed. Just offer 15 or 30 minutes. Clients will adapt, and you’ll get hours back in your week.
about the author
Cami MacNamara is a web designer and owner of WebCami LLC, a Seattle-based agency since 2002. She created Web Designer Habits to help web designers build smarter systems, stay productive, and run a business that works for them.