9:00 AM

End meetings early.

“Let me give you back some time.”

It’s one checkbox↓
Mon
Standup10:00–10:25
+5
Design review2:00–2:50
+10
Tue
1:1 Tom / Mike9:30–9:55
+5
Shaping session1:00–1:50
+10
Wed
All Hands11:00–11:50
+10
Thu
1:1 Tom / Tony10:00–10:25
+5
Cycle 15 Retro3:00–3:50
+10
Fri
Job recommendations design review9:00–9:25
+5
10:00 AM

Enable Speedy Meetings.

Turn this on and every meeting is already a bit shorter.

Google Calendar→Settings→Event settings→Speedy meetings ✓
Before the default
Weekly sync10:00–10:30 · 30 min
After +5 min
Weekly sync10:00–10:25 · 25 min
+5

Meetings under an hour end five minutes early and longer ones end ten minutes early.

11:00 AM

Put minutes on the agenda.

Even a rough guess keeps things moving. When the agenda is complete, the meeting is over.

Q3 roadmap check-in Booked 10:00–10:25 · 25 min
  1. 3 min Where we left off
  2. 6 min Risks worth naming out loud
  3. 8 min Decision: ship Thursday or slip a week
  4. 3 min Who owns what by Friday
+5

Twenty minutes of agenda in a twenty-five minute booking. Finish at minute fourteen and everyone leaves early.

11:30 AM

Things you don’t have to say.

We've got about seven minutes left — any other questions?
Instead

Looks like we made it through the agenda ahead of time! Thanks everyone, chat soon.

I know we're at time, but real quick—
Instead

I have a question that I'll follow up on asynchronously.

Let's use the rest of this time to align.
Instead

Let's schedule some follow-up time with the folks who are not yet aligned.

4:00 PM

You too can host the good meeting!

The one nobody sighs at when the reminder pops up.

  1. Every meeting gets an agenda.
  2. “Any other questions?” can wait for the follow-up.
  3. Time left over belongs to the people, not the topic.
  4. Ending early is a favor to everyone, you included.