Therefore, items requiring mental energy, bright ideas and clear heads should appear early on the agenda. An item of great interest to everyone might be scheduled for 15 to 20 minutes into the meeting to avoid the attention lag that typically occurs at this point. Place key items early on the agenda so they are not left until the end of the meeting. Some groups put their agenda items in declining order of importance. The order of items influences the meeting atmosphere.
Some items tend to unite the group, while others divide it.
The chairperson may want to start on a point of unity, move to items likely to create differing opinions, and end the meeting on a unifying note. Put time limits on agenda items to help focus discussion and encourage decision making. Allot the most time to major items. Consider how long your total meeting should be. If it's an evening meeting, 2-3 hours with one short break is long enough to get something accomplished without leaving members tired and unproductive.