Meetings can be unproductive and time-consuming. 

What if you could find a way to have such a productive meeting, that you could end it early? It’s seems like a radical idea, but it’s doable. 

Terra Bohlmann, a business strategist and creator of The Business Map Method, has a three-step, five-minute system to make your next meeting more productive.

Step One — Reflect and Close Your Mental Loop (2 minutes)

Use this time to write up meeting notes, decisions made, and the next steps that need to happen. You can reference these notes during your meeting. Bohlmann states:

“Avoid the impulse to make a quick phone call, check email, or solicit input from someone else. Don’t fall for these traps because there’s nothing worse than being late to your next meeting.”

Step Two — Prepare For Your Next Meeting By Defining Your Goal (2 minutes)

“Review any previous notes and decide on the top goal you want to accomplish during your next meeting. If you are leading the meeting, jot down a simple agenda that you’ll share with others when you kick-off the meeting and your top goal,” advises Bohlmann.

When you lead a meeting, try and be as specific as possible with what you want to complete by the end of the meeting. By being specific with your goals for the meeting, the attendees will remain focused and productive.  

Step Three — Give Your Brain a Well-Deserved Break (1 minute)

Before heading into the meeting and after you’ve prepared, take a mental break. Everyone is different, but Bohlmann suggests standing, stretching, and taking deep breathes. By taking this break, you’ll be able to go into you next meeting with a clear head. 

“Don’t feel pressure to get to your meeting early to make small talk. Be on time, be fully present for the group, and end the meeting early,” states Bohlmann.

Try this system the next time you’re leading a meeting, and see if it makes a difference!