Parkinson's Law is alive and well.

3 Apr 2026 · 1 min

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1:09

In this brief monologue, the speaker explains how Parkinson's Law—work expands to fill the time allotted—can be leveraged to make meetings more efficient. By scheduling a typical 60‑minute meeting for only 45–50 minutes, participants become more focused, decisions are reached faster, and the meeting often ends early. The speaker suggests repeating the reduction, which can shrink a meeting to 30–35 minutes, and notes that shorter meetings increase engagement and attendance. The advice includes a concrete call‑to‑action: try a two‑meeting trial, forward the tip to meeting organizers, and observe the results.

Chapters

Your 1-hour meeting could be done in 45 minutes. Here's how. Parkinson's Law says work expands to fill the time available. I've been saying this about meetings for over 30 years, and it's as true today as it ever was. The fix is almost embarrassingly simple. If you normally have a 1-hour meeting, schedule it for 45 or 50 minutes. Cut your next meeting by 20 or 25%. Watch what happens. People focus, decisions get made, and everyone leaves earlier. Now, here's the real kicker. Do it again. So your 1-hour meeting might only last 30 or 35 minutes now. Try it. The irony? Shorter meetings don't just save time, they build engagement. People actually want to attend short meetings. Are you not the person in the chair? Well, forward this to whoever is. Suggest a 2-meeting trial. The results will speak for themselves. You'll never know if you don't try it. Fewer meetings, shorter meetings, better meetings. That's what I do.