The Case for 25-Minute Default Meeting Length

Back-to-back 30-minute meetings leave no time to take a breath, grab water, write down an action item, or arrive at the next call on time. Shortening the default to 25 minutes, and hour-long meetings to 50, fixes that without anyone having to ask.

Why it works

• Built-in breaks. Five or ten minutes between meetings to reset, move, and note next steps.
• Meetings start on time, because people aren't stuck in the previous one.
• Parkinson's law helps you. Work tends to fill the time available. Most 30-minute meetings finish their real business in 25.
• It adds up. Five minutes saved on each of eight weekly meetings is 40 minutes per person per week.

Turn it on in your calendar

• Google Calendar: in Settings, under Event settings, turn on Speedy meetings. New meetings end 5 minutes early if under an hour, and 10 minutes early if longer.
• Outlook: look for the option to shorten appointments and meetings in the calendar settings, and choose to end meetings early. Where it lives varies by version.

Make it stick

1. Change the team default together, not person by person.
2. Actually end at 25. If meetings run to 30 anyway, nothing has changed.
3. Start with a goal so there's a clear point to stop.
4. Use the gap for notes and follow-ups, not another quick call.

See what it saves

Put your recurring meetings into the Meeting Cost Calculator at 30 and then at 25 minutes. The difference across a year, multiplied by attendees, is usually bigger than people expect. For other lengths, see meeting length by type.