How to reduce the number of meetings
The short answer
Audit recurring meetings and ask what each one decides or produces. Cancel or shorten the ones that don't, replace status updates with written updates, invite only the people needed to decide, set shorter default lengths and share notes so others can stay informed without attending.
Step by step
- 1
Audit the calendar
List recurring meetings with their purpose, attendees and cost.
- 2
Cut or shorten
Cancel meetings with no clear outcome; trim others to 25 or 50 minutes.
- 3
Move status to writing
Use written updates and meet only for decisions and blockers.
- 4
Shrink invite lists
Invite people who decide or contribute; share notes with the rest.
- 5
Protect focus time
Agree meeting-free blocks or days as a team.
Common mistakes
- Cancelling meetings without replacing the information they carried.
- Making everyone optional, so nobody comes.
- Cutting meetings once and letting them creep back.
When people can read reliable notes, fewer need to attend: Acta writes the summary, decisions and actions for everyone.
Try Acta free for 15 daysQuestions
How do you know which meetings to cancel?
Ask what each one produces. If no decision or output comes out of it, change or cancel it.
How much do meetings cost?
Multiply attendees by hourly cost and length; our free meeting cost calculator does the maths.