Like it or not, being on time matters, a lot.
Anyone can be late a handful of times. I am no paragon of punctuality and I must admit that I have my fair share of not being on time. According to a new research by Blue Jeans Network, 81% of meetings don’t always start on time.
So does this mean that tardiness is fast becoming the norm? Well, that might be the case but that doesn’t mean it’s OK. If you are someone with the habit of being sloppy about time, it’s time to stop.
For this post, we’re going to highlight the importance of always being on time.
Why Punctuality Matters?
Below are some of the compelling reasons why it’s important to be punctual at all times.
Because You Respect the Time of Others
Because You Want to Make a Good First Impression
Because You Want to Foster Morale and Productivity
Because You Know How to Manage Your Time Well
Because You Don’t Want to be Viewed Negatively
Because You Don’t Want to Weaken Your Position
Because Tardiness is a Vicious Cycle
How to Be On Time Every Time
Punctuality is a skill that every man should master. Fortunately, it doesn’t require special talents or skills. Below are some quick tips to help you become more punctual.
1. Get Up On Time
When the first thing you do in the morning is procrastinating, it will be difficult to be on time for anything. Once your alarm clock goes off, get up on your feet instantly. If you always find yourself hitting that snooze button, put your alarm clock on the other side of the room. This forces you to get up.
Most importantly, develop and sleeping routine that won’t require an alarm clock. Once you develop a solid sleeping routine, you will go to bed and wake up at the same time daily.
2. Determine Why You Need to be Punctual
When your motivation to be on time is strong enough, you will find a way to make it work.
By relying on your why, you can overcome the bad habit of being tardy. The best way to stop the habit of being late is to have a strong reason behind the transformation. Thus, it will help if you identify the main reason why you want to do it.
Take a pen and paper and write down the reasons why you don’t want to be tardy anymore. Additionally, write down the positive impact that punctuality will bring about in your life. Use these benefits to motivate yourself each and every day.
Make sure that the reasons you cite are strong and numerous.
3. Plan Enough Time for the Task that You are Doing Before
In most cases, tardiness is a result of a domino effect. This happens when a previous activity took more time than necessary. This is why you need to be more realistic with your time allocation. For example, don’t allocate just 30 minutes for an appointment that you know will take at least an hour. Times with previous experiences are usually a good benchmark for time allocation.
According to Shlomo Zalman Bregman, the author of Force of Nurture: How to Reach Your Ultimate Level of Greatness and Attain Unstoppable Results in Every Aspect of Life,“It’s very hard to live life with razor thin margins.” This is why you need “time cushions.”
For example, you know that the drive to the airport can take an hour but you have to take into account some potential factors. What if the traffic is rough? What if there is a road closure? Is the weather going to be good? Account for everything that can go wrong and allocate a comfortable time cushion.
The Take Away
More than anything, time is the most precious resource there is. Once time is spent, you can never get it back.
So it’s important that you manage your time properly and respect other’s time as well. If you have a punctuality problem, own up to it. Quit the excuses and take responsibility for the problem. The first step to solving a problem is recognizing that there is one.
Being always late to be a non-conformist is a rather pathetic attempt at feeling like an individual. You just lack respect for other’s tine and being selfish.
Hopefully, this article has helped you become a man who’s always on time.
