Your First Steps to Painless Meetings
Reading about a system is one thing; implementing it is another. The beauty of The Focused Method is that it’s built on small, incremental changes. You don’t need to revolutionize your entire work life overnight. You just need to take the first, simple step. Here are three actions you can take, starting today, to begin your journey toward more productive meetings.
1. Today: Fix Your Defaults. Right now, before you close this article, open your Google Calendar or Outlook settings. Find the “Default duration” or “End meetings early” option. Change your 60-minute meetings to 50, and your 30-minute meetings to 25. This is a one-time, two-minute action that will pay you back with buffer time for the rest of your career.
2. Tomorrow: Ask the Question. The next time a meeting invitation without an agenda appears in your inbox, don’t just accept it. Take a deep breath and send a polite reply. Use the script: “Thanks for the invite! To help me prepare, could you add a quick agenda to the invite?” You are not being difficult; you are being a responsible professional.
3. This Week: Organize One Great Meeting. Look at your calendar for the coming week. Find one meeting that you are responsible for organizing. It could be a simple one-on-one or a small team check-in. Before that meeting, take 10 minutes to apply the principles. Give it an outcome-oriented title. Draft a 1-3-5 agenda. Timebox the topics. Paste it all into the calendar description. Experience for yourself the clarity and confidence that comes from engineering a meeting instead of just showing up to one.
These are not heroic efforts. They are small, systematic adjustments. But they compound. Each well-run meeting saves dozens or even hundreds of collective person-hours. It builds your reputation as someone who is organized and respects others’ time. Most importantly, it frees up your own time and mental energy for the deep, focused work that truly matters. Stop enduring your meetings. Start designing them.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical or legal advice. Always seek the advice of a qualified professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or legal matter.
