behavior
May 1, 2024
Minutes To Read: 2

8 habits you need to adopt if you are always late

Always on time is polite behavior and an attitude that shows that you care about people and don't want to keep them waiting.

However, a lot of people can't be punctual. Everything is a matter of habit. And even the late ones can certainly make it to the right time for appointments? unless, of course, there are unforeseen events.

But overall, some tips can help those who have difficulty with punctuality.

1. Count back from the moment you need to arrive somewhere

Here's how it works: If you have a 7:30 pm flight, you need to be at the departure gate at 6:45 pm, which means you must be at the airport at 5:45 pm to have time to go through security procedures and get on board. To do so, she would have to leave the house at 4:45 pm, but with the possibility of traffic, it would be better to leave at 4:30 pm.

Of course, being late for a flight is different from being late for coffee with a friend, but the same principles can and should apply to make it a habit.

Read also: 10 ways to make your mornings more productive

2. Pay close attention to the time things really take

There are so many factors that keep someone from getting to the right place at the right time, but they often go unnoticed. Time waiting for the garage door to open, time waiting for the elevator, time walking from the car to the venue. These things add up and can turn into a longer time. So don't underestimate them when calculating how much you need to get somewhere.

3. Put some things in order to make life a little more efficient.

A few day-to-day details help make life more organized and make it easier to keep to schedule. For example, always leave the keys in the same place (and not waste time searching), separate in advance the clothes you will wear (so you don't have to choose in the morning) and leave in the bag everything you usually need.

4. Accept that you will not be able to do everything late.

If you need to answer an email, wait until it is on track and at the right time. Trying to do this sooner, even if fast, already generates a slight delay that ends up accumulating throughout the day and preventing other things from being done. Not ideal, but a good alternative.

5. Anticipate everything in 10 minutes or more

It's like punctuality insurance. If you scheduled at 5 pm, make the calculation to arrive 10 minutes earlier. So if you meet someone along the way or have any unforeseen events, it will not prevent you from arriving on time. Another tip is to round the calculation up? If it will take you 15 minutes, tell yourself that it will take you 20 and program this way.

6. Set too many alarms

They should not be used just for waking up. You can set an alarm or reminder on your phone with various other things during the day. This saves time and makes life more efficient, even if at first it causes some nervousness to hear the alarm many times.

Read also: How to enjoy time on the commute to work

7. Eliminate any and all distractions.

Sign in to social networks, stop something to reply to an email, click on a link someone sent in the group? It's fun, but it's a distraction and it can really slow you down. So when you need to focus on a task that takes a reasonable amount of time, turn off your phone.

8. Always plan to leave early

A golden rule: leaving early is leaving on time and leaving on time is leaving late. Even if you lie to yourself, it is important to plan to always be a few minutes early. So even if you are five minutes late, you will be on time.

All these little attitudes in everyday life are ways of better organizing time and getting used to doing things that will help you keep your appointment time.