Ever been in a meeting where you just ran out of time to cover that last, crucial topic? Or maybe one where someone took the scenic route through a discussion, leaving everything else rushed? Meetings often suffer from one of two problems: too much crammed in or too little time allocated to get it all done.

You know what happens. Decisions get delayed, discussions get derailed, and everyone leaves frustrated.

What bento boxes can teach us about meetings

In Japan, the bento box has been achieving a similar goal for centuries: fitting a variety of food into a single meal, without it turning into a chaotic pile.

A bento box:

• Ensures balanced portions (you get enough rice, but not too much rice)
• Visually organises the meal (delights the eyes as well as the tummy)
• Keeps everything in its place (the pickled ginger doesn’t invade the tempura’s space)

Now imagine if meetings worked the same way…

Introducing the Meeting Bento Box

The Meeting Bento Box is a simple visual framework to help you plan meetings with realistic expectations of what you can fit into the time you have. Instead of letting the agenda run wild, you create a structured grid where each topic gets its own dedicated ‘box’.

How to Use the Meeting Bento Box

Grab a piece of office paper and a pen (yup, no fancy software needed).

Draw a grid that represents your available time. For example, if you have a 60-minute meeting, draw a 2x2 or 3x2 grid, with each box representing a time block.

Fill in each box with a single topic. Some topics might take 2 ‘boxes’ of time, like in the example below. If a topic still doesn’t fit, it’s too big; break it up or save it for another meeting.

Stick to the boxes! When time is up for one, move on to the next. No overflowing. No hijacking.

The Meeting Bento Box makes it immediately clear if you’re trying to overstuff your meeting plate, and that’s exactly what makes it so powerful.

Examples of the Bento Box framework in action

But what does it look like in action? I hear you wonder. Here are three examples to show you how flexible it is:

Final thought (or: the leftovers)

Next time you’re planning a meeting, think like a bento box, and draw it out on a piece of paper, or a whiteboard, or a flipchart. Well-portioned and neatly contained wins every time over a chaotic mess that leaves everyone feeling unsatisfied.

And if someone insists on adding more to the agenda? Just tell them, “Sorry, that won’t fit in the box.” And it’s not just you saying it (which can be awkward and hard to do), but the visual is backing you up too.

Now, go forth and run meetings that are as satisfying as a perfectly packed bento!