Meetings scheduled for 30 minutes often wrap up on time, while hour-long meetings? They tend to stretch right to their end. It turns out, we use the time we allocate. How did we get into this time management trap? When did we agree to make a series of meetings back to back such that productive time seems almost elusive?

Here’s a nifty trick: trim your meetings by 15 minutes. You might just find yourself pocketing hours of productive work each day.

Think of time and tasks as air in a balloon. The bigger the balloon, the more the tasks spread out. Squeeze the balloon, and tasks take up less space, leaving you with more room to breathe. I’ve been putting this to the test and the results are like daylight through open curtains – refreshing and illuminating.

So, how about giving those hour-long meetings a little haircut? Your calendar will thank you with blocks of newfound time. Reconsider the value of your time such that time management approaches become built into your DNA.

Curious to hear from you! How have you reshaped your day for the better? Time management may be one of the most important fixes of your year.

If you would like a time management training session, connect with us to learn more.