Tips for Being on Time

No matter how smart and otherwise skillful they are, thousands of people have huge problems when it comes to keeping track of time. Here are a few of the steps on the path to punctuality.

By Kathryn Hawkins. Posted on April 13 2011

When your friends invite you to dinner, do they always tell you to show up at 6, just so there’s a smidgen of a chance you might make it there by the actual meeting time of 8?

If you’re habitually late, you’ve probably missed plenty of lunch dates, meetings, and more –if you even managed to show up for your own wedding, you can count yourself among the lucky ones. No matter how smart and otherwise skillful they are, thousands of people have huge problems when it comes to keeping track of time. Here are a few of the steps on the path to punctuality, according to Productivity Cafe.

Learn the meaning of “on time.” As in, seated, and ready for business – not pulling into the parking garage.

Don’t let other commitments run long. If you’ve got a meeting scheduled at 2 o’clock, make sure the people you’re talking to know it. That way, you can get out without drama, making sure that you’ve arrived in time for your scheduled event.

Don’t get sucked into responding to emails when you’ve got someplace to go. Sure, it seems like it’ll just take a minute to dash off a response –but then you realize you didn’t quite get your point across yet, and by the time you’ve finished your explanation, you’re half an hour late for a dinner reservation. Resist the temptation to open your inbox –everything will still be there when you get home.

Use the alarm function on your computer’s calendar. It’s easy to idle away hours online without glancing at the clock –so make sure you get to all your appointments by setting an alarm on your computer to let you know when it’s time to get going.

Filed under: General Interest,