How to Ensure That You're Always on Time
One of my very biggest pet peeves is lateness. I don't like being late myself, and I don't like it when other people are late. To me, constant tardiness is a sign of laziness and, even worse, of a total disregard for other peoples' time. I pride myself on being a very punctual person. I generally try to leave five minutes early, in order to account for any unforseen impediments, such as traffic and/or parking (I do live in Los Angeles, after all). However, it's very clear to me that other people don't necessarily hold punctuality in the same regard as I do. Seriously- why are people always late?! If you are guilty of being less than dependable, here are a few tips to get you time management skills back on track:
#1: Take all of the little time-sapping extras into account.
When you're planning a trip from point A to point B, be sure to think about more than just the amount of time that it will take you to drive/walk/bike there. Take into account the little things such as loading kids into the car, finding a parking spot, that irritatingly long traffic signal on your route, etc. And traffic- don't forget to account for unforseen traffic (if you're driving, that is).
#2: This is one time that you shouldn't give yourself any credit.
If you need to leave by 7:30 am to be at work by 8:00 am, it's 7:00 now, and you're still enjoying that second cup of coffee in your PJs while browsing Pinterest, don't assume that you have the skills to do everything else at warp speed. No, you really can't brush your teeth, fix your hair, pack your lunch, and get dressed in 15 minutes. If you enjoy having some leisurely time in the morning, consider setting your alarm for half an hour earlier than you normally would.
#3: When in doubt, just leave a little bit earlier.
I really don't understand the aversion that people have to leaving a tad earlier than necessary. My husband is one of those people. If I suggest leaving for dinner at 7:25 instead of 7:30 in order to ensure that we make our reservation, there's a whole lot of eye rolling and dramatic sighing that follows. However, to me, it seems as though the idea of potentially arriving somewhere a few minutes early is much less stressful than having to feel anxious at every red light. Try leaving five to ten minutes earlier than you normally would, and observe how much calmer you are en route.