There are never enough hours in the day to get the things that have to be done… done. But everyday we waste more time in meetings than in anything else we do. So, what if you could reclaim that time? Inc. Magazines contributor Janine Popick has a great formula… The 30 Minute Meeting.

Popick writes…

Keep It Short and Actionable

I want to underscore why I think you should pre-set most meetings to 30 minutes or less and have an agenda you send out prior. In 30 minutes you should be able to:

1. Prepare yourself for a fast-moving pace.

2. Make decisions on the spot, or commit to making the decision in a specific timeframe.

3. Get to the bottom of an issue.

4. Ask what you need to do to make your attendees successful.

5. Tell your attendees what they need to do to be successful.

6. Get what you want out of the meeting.

Easy, right? Okay… maybe not so easy with a room full of lawyers. However, if you start with a plan, you are likely to make progress. You have nothing to lose and TIME to gain. If you cut just 20 minutes off of 3 meetings a week you could reclaim an hour each week. There are several things you can do to develop business with that time… send emails, make phone calls, attend a networking event, have a relationship building lunch, write an article, etc, etc, etc. So, reclaim your time!