The Default Meeting Length Is Not Optimal

The default setting of a calendar tool often goes unquestioned. When scheduling a meeting, the options frequently presented are 30 minutes or 60 minutes. This seemingly innocuous default can subtly influence how meetings are planned and executed, often leading to longer discussions than necessary and contributing to widespread meeting fatigue.

Workplace cultures, shaped by these defaults, tend to fill the allocated time. If a meeting is scheduled for an hour, it often runs for an hour, regardless of whether the agenda could have been covered in less. This phenomenon is an example of Parkinson's Law, which posits that 'work expands to fill the time available for its completion'.

The Cost of Unquestioned Defaults

The impact of these prolonged meetings extends beyond simple time-wasting. Longer meetings contribute to an increased cognitive load, making it difficult for individuals to sustain focus and engage deeply with the material. This can lead to decreased productivity in subsequent tasks and a general feeling of mental exhaustion.

Meetings that run for their full allocated time, regardless of actual need, can erode focus and contribute to workplace fatigue.

Research by organisations like Microsoft has highlighted the significant impact of meeting overload on brain activity. Their studies, which measured brainwave activity, indicated that consecutive meetings led to higher levels of beta activity, associated with stress, and lower alpha activity, linked to a relaxed, focused state. Short breaks between meetings were found to significantly alleviate this stress response. The absence of such breaks, often a result of back-to-back default-length meetings, compounds the problem.

Why Shorter Meetings Are Better

• Increased focus: Shorter timeframes encourage participants to be more concise and stay on topic.
• Reduced cognitive fatigue: Less time spent in meetings allows for more sustained attention on other tasks.
• Better allocation of time: Individuals gain more time for deep work and individual contributions.
• Improved break opportunities: Gaps between shorter meetings provide crucial recovery time for the brain, enhancing subsequent performance.

Challenging the Calendar Standard

Organisations and teams have the capacity to redefine their meeting culture by intentionally breaking away from default calendar settings. This requires a conscious effort to evaluate meeting objectives and allocate time precisely, rather than by habit.

One approach involves setting alternative default meeting lengths, such as 15 or 25 minutes, or adopting a '5-minute buffer' strategy where meetings end five minutes before the hour or half-hour mark. This small adjustment can provide a vital window for mental rest and preparation for the next task.

Practical Steps for Change

1. 1Reassess meeting duration: Before sending an invite, consider the actual time needed. Can it be 15, 20, or 25 minutes instead of 30 or 60?
2. 2Set internal norms: Encourage teams to adopt 'buffer time' for meetings, e.g., ending 30-minute meetings at 25 past the hour, and hour-long meetings at 50 past.
3. 3Clearly define objectives: A clear agenda and desired outcome can help keep meetings focused and prevent unnecessary expansion.
4. 4Use meeting tools effectively: Most calendar tools allow custom durations. Make use of them.

By critically examining and adjusting ingrained defaults, organisations can foster a more effective and less draining meeting culture. This shift can contribute significantly to overall workplace wellbeing and productivity, creating a healthier balance for desk workers.