Wk22-Stop offering one-hour meetings
Sharper Sessions
After consistently feeling drained by one-hour meetings, I took them off my schedule a few years ago. For this week’s habit, let’s look at how shortening meeting times can help you reclaim your time and stay more available throughout the week.
Habit of the week:
Wk22-Stop offering one-hour meetings
Why dedicate a full hour when you can accomplish more in less time? Restructuring meeting times to 45 minutes or less can sharpen your agenda, improve focus, and open up your schedule for additional engagements.
Why it matters:
Shorter meetings encourage concise, targeted discussions and prevent time wastage, allowing you to fit more into your day without sacrificing the quality of interaction. It's about working smarter, not longer.
Quick Start Guide:
- Revise Meeting Durations: Adjust your standard meeting times—45 minutes for training sessions, 30 minutes for client consultations, and 15 minutes for quick check-ins.
- Utilize Scheduling Tools: Tools like Calendly can help you manage your calendar efficiently, offering slots in 5-minute increments to create the perception of availability.
- Limit Meeting Days: Restrict client meetings to no more than three days per week to ensure you have at least two dedicated days for focused, uninterrupted work.
- Buffer Between Meetings: Don't forget to buffer your time between meetings to give you time to reset between discussions.
Cami's Tips
- Send an Agenda: As the old saying goes, “Most meetings could be emails." Set the tone by sending a quick email agenda before the meeting.
- Pay for AI Notetaking: This has been a life changer. You now longer have to spend long periods of time being your company secretary! Check out SuperNormal.com
- Create Hidden Meeting Types: Set up hidden meeting options to share selectively for special cases or specific needs.
- Proposal Reviews: Always allocate 30 minutes for new client proposals to show availability, promptness and respect for both parties' time.
Routine Checkpoint:
Remember, see if you can achieve the same or better meeting outcomes in shorter time frames and adjust your strategies accordingly.
Evaluate the effectiveness of this new meeting structure after a month.
What's Your Take?
Have you experimented with shorter meetings? What changes have you noticed in your productivity and client interactions? Please share your stories and insights using #WebDesignerHabits and join our community discussion!
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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 solopreneurs build smarter systems, stay productive, and run a business that works for them.