The Early Days: Visible Timers

A few years ago, I used timers in a very visible way during workshops. I'd tell participants they had five minutes and display a live timer on the projector screen. This method allowed everyone to do a quick check-in on how much time was left for a specific activity. I liked this because it kept everyone aware and on track.

The Shift: Verbal Cues

These days, I've changed my approach. Instead of showing a live timer, I now give participants the total time they have and provide verbal updates at key moments. For example, I'll say:

You have five minutes, then halfway through, You have two minutes left, and finally, One minute left.

This method breaks up the time announcements throughout the workshop.

The Benefits of hidden Timers

What I like about hidden timers is the flexibility it offers as a facilitator. People often lose track of time when they're deeply focused or bored, so they don't have a clear sense of how long a minute really is.

This allows me to adjust the timing based on the group's progress. If they've made great progress quickly, I can cut a few seconds or even a minute to give more time to another activity. On the other hand, if they need just a bit more time to wrap up an activity happily, I can extend it by a few seconds or another minute.

Consistency in Clear Expectations

Even if my use of timers has evolved, one thing remains constant: giving clear time expectations is super useful for participants.

Knowing they have just five minutes for a conversation makes it much more focused than if I simply said, Let's have a conversation about this.

Written with AI help
This little note is based on an audio recording that was transcribed and cleaned using Audiopen. I then reviewed the text and adapted it where it was necessary.