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How to Calculate the Ideal Meeting Time

Learn to determine the ideal meeting duration to boost productivity, engagement, and decision-making efficiency.

min read

The ideal meeting time is the optimal duration for a meeting that allows for productive discussion and decision-making without wasting time. It's about finding the sweet spot where you can cover all necessary agenda items efficiently while keeping participants engaged and focused.

Calculating the ideal meeting time

A simple formula to calculate the ideal meeting time is:

Ideal Meeting Time = (Essential Agenda Items Ă— Time Per Item) Ă— 1.2

Let's break this formula down:

  1. Essential Agenda Items: The number of crucial topics that need to be discussed.
  2. Time Per Item: Estimated time for each item. Be realistic, but lean towards brevity.
  3. 1.2: Adds a 20% buffer for introductions, minor delays, or extended discussions.

This covers your agenda thoroughly with a small buffer, without letting the meeting drag on unnecessarily.

Finding the ideal meeting duration helps with

  • Increased Productivity: Prevents discussions from dragging on unnecessarily.
  • Better Focus: Shorter meetings help maintain participant engagement.
  • Time Savings: Reduces meeting bloat, freeing up time for other tasks.
  • Improved Decision-Making: Clear timeframes encourage focused discussions.
  • Reduced Meeting Fatigue: Prevents mental exhaustion from long gatherings.

Here are some ideal time durations for different meeting types

While the formula provides a good starting point, here are some general guidelines:

  • Daily Stand-ups: 15 minutes
  • Weekly Team Meetings: 30-45 minutes
  • Brainstorming Sessions: 60-90 minutes
  • One-on-One Meetings: 30 minutes
  • Project Kickoffs: 60 minutes
  • Quarterly Reviews: 90-120 minutes

Remember, these are guidelines. Use the formula to calculate a baseline, then adjust based on your team's needs and the meeting's purpose. By being mindful of ideal meeting times, you can make your gatherings more productive and respectful of everyone's time.

How can Feta help?

We understand that meetings aren’t just a time block. There are a plethora of pre-, in, and post-meeting tasks involved in driving an effective meeting. And how significant the groundwork is that starts with pre-meeting prep. 

That’s why we are building Feta - it helps product and engineering teams capture meeting context, automate tasks, and focus on high-impact work.

We are still in the early stages and rolling out access every day. If that sounds interesting, join the waitlist or fill out this form, and we’ll be in touch super soon.

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