Most authors recommend ten to twenty minutes to begin with, and never more than an hour. That's solid advice, though somewhat conservative. The risk of scrying too long is mainly of burnout. There can also be some undesirable side effects from long sitting: stiff back and neck, eyestrain, headaches, and the dreaded "third eye fatigue"--the achy tension that comes from OD'ing on psychic work. The best idea I've heard is to alternate scrying with a complementary practice, like a healing exercise or a moving meditation. That way, you can take a day or two off from scrying if you're not feeling up to it, but stay in the habit of daily practice.
Also, although daily practice is advisable, some sources admonish against sitting more than once per day. I've been known to break this rule at times--like when I'm lucky enough have a whole day set aside for spiritual practice--but I do see the wisdom in it. It's easy to get sucked into an inner life that can harbor delusions and cut you off from the rest of the world. Occult practice has to be part of a healthy balanced lifestyle--along with eating, bathing, going to work, and having conversations with people who are actually incarnate. Yoga folks talk knowingly about "bliss junkies"--newbies who, having tasted a bit of mind/body integration, want to spend every waking hour on the mat chasing that high. I'm sure it's equally possible to become a crystal crackhead or mirror fiend. Self-imposed limits are good insurance against obsession, especially if you have an addictive personality.
Keep in mind that time distortion in either direction is a normal part of the scrying process. Fifteen minutes can seem like an eternity--and not just when you're bored. Sometimes the visions come so quickly and encompass so much, that it doesn't seem possible that only a few moments have elapsed. If you've ever had an epic dream between hitting the snooze button and hearing the alarm, then you understand this perfectly. Conversely, in certain states, an hour can feel like minutes. Screwy.
Speaking of which, should you set a timer for your sessions? Personally, I'm of two minds on this one. I've sometimes found timers to be helpful, mainly because of the time distortion effect mentioned above. Knowing that my alarm is set frees my mind from the distracting worry that the whole afternoon may be slipping away. It also keeps my usual drowsiness from turning into a three-hour nap. On the other hand, the minute I hit on something really good, that alarm is bound to go off and jar me out of my carefully cultivated trance. A solution might be to try one of those progressive-tone "gentle" alarm clocks that they sell at home stores (or probably in app form these days).
One thing I've noticed is that many writers assume your sessions will get longer over time--e.g., starting with five or ten minute sessions and working up to a full hour. True, it takes some discipline and focus to sit for more than a few minutes. And it's true that as you have more vivid and immersive experiences, you'll want to spend more time with them--scrying will seem less like practice and more like play. But I'd like to point out that as you gain more experience with accessing various altered states, your sessions may actually get shorter. I guess you can compare it to learning to change the oil in your car, or cut up a chicken, or any other learned skill. When you're first trying it, your going to be relatively slow and clumsy compared to when you've mastered it. If it takes a full twenty minutes to relax your body and empty your mind for scrying, then a twenty minute session is not going to be long enough for you. But if you become more facile and can access the same state in five minutes, then a twenty minute sitting might be plenty.
Finally, with all this talk about timing, it bears mentioning that scrying sessions can end themselves--quite naturally, as it often happens. It's normal to go into a scrying state willfully and gradually, and back out with the same gentleness. You can observe it and even, with practice, control it--like a scuba diver adjusting her depth. Sometimes your conscious mind will intrude and tell you that it's time to stop. Sometimes, I gather, an entity will do it for you. I had an early (and very memorable) experience of being suddenly kicked back into my body by some sort of astral bouncer. It's like flying Southwest Air: Sometimes you land like a feather, sometimes you go skittering down the runway and spill your peanuts.
We'll save the topic of intentions for a later post, but setting an intention can be a good alternative to deciding on a strict time table. Think about what you want to accomplish from the session ("I'm going to visit the lunar sphere of Yesod." Or, "I'm going to have a vision of where I left my car keys."), and you'll likely find yourself drifting back to reality once you've accomplished your intention.
In conclusion: Sit as long as you comfortably can--five or ten minutes is probably good for a raw beginner. Don't burn out and don't hurt yourself. You can work your way up from there, but don't assume that long sessions are the goal. Timers are helpful...or maybe not. Sometimes it's over when it's over. About an hour is probably enough for anyone, unless you live in an ashram or hermit cave. Have fun!
Artwork: Edmund Dulac, "Father Time" (1906)
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