Office guide
How to Use Meeting Timer
A meeting timer compares planned and actual time for each agenda segment. It keeps the group aware of overruns without forcing the facilitator to calculate remaining time manually.
Open the Meeting TimerWhat to prepare
A few reliable inputs make the first result easier to review.
- The meeting title and ordered agenda segments
- A planned duration and speaker for each segment
- An agreed rule for extending, parking, or ending an overrun
How to Use Meeting Timer
- Enter the title and add each segment with planned minutes and speaker
- Set the timer and confirm the total matches the meeting slot
- Start at the meeting opening and use Next segment at each handoff
- Review the timing summary afterward to improve the next agenda
Worked example
For a 30-minute stand-up, allocate 3 minutes to opening, 18 to team updates, 6 to blockers, and 3 to actions. If updates consume 24 minutes, the summary makes the six-minute overrun visible.
Review the result
Do not treat every overrun as failure. Check whether extra time produced a needed decision, whether the plan was unrealistic, or whether one segment repeatedly lacks facilitation.
Practical tips
- Display the timer where speakers can see it
- Give a verbal cue shortly before a segment ends
- Adjust future estimates using actual timing history
Common mistakes to avoid
- Starting the timer after the first discussion begins
- Skipping segment changes and losing useful comparisons
- Using the timer to cut off important safety or compliance issues
Build it in your browser
The free Meeting Timer processes entries locally in your browser. Review the generated draft against source information and any policy that applies before sharing it.