We could take this time to relate all the reasons why and how being late can prove professionally and personally harmful to you, but if you’re chronically late, you already know them and they likely haven’t mattered enough to you -- yet. Don’t wait until it’s too late to do anything about it. Spare yourself the unfortunate experience of finding out the hard way. The following 4 steps to being punctual are predicated on the notion that being late is a selfish act. Use some of that selfishness to motivate you in a opposite direction.
step 1
Create an incentive
The first step to being punctual involves the most reliable motive known to mankind: creating personal incentives, or the "me factor." Think selfishly: What do you gain by being on time today, and what are you putting on the line by potentially being late for this particular event, meeting or function? In other words, what’s in it for you? Try to avoid generalities like “reputation.” Be specific. If you’re late to your job today, will you get fired? If not, find another incentive. For instance, being punctual will translate to leaving early in the afternoon and beating traffic. Or being late will require an excuse on your part, and if you are the kind of person who is always giving excuses, rest assured you long ago ran out of believable ones. Nothing short of a karma lie -- one that involves the alleged poor health of a loved one -- can save you now. Good luck with that.
step 2
Mentally move up your arrival time
Here’s a disastrous idea used by late people everywhere: Move your clocks ahead 10 minutes so you can constantly reassure yourself you still have 10 minutes before you’ll be late. What’s odd is that late people continue to do this even though it doesn’t provide dependable results. It has all the logic of a compulsive behavior. It's one that you know isn’t good for you but that you’re unwilling or unable to stop doing.If you absolutely need to deceive yourself about the time, mentally schedule your appointment 15 minutes sooner than it actually is. Don’t touch a clock anywhere. Just prepare for a 10 a.m. meeting as though it were a 9:45 a.m. meeting.
step 3
Reject doing one more thing
The last step in being punctual is to reject the inner urge to do that last little thing or two before you head out the door -- like taking out the trash or checking your blog for comments. Often enough, it’s this last-minute commitment to getting things done that makes you late.Make a mental note to do it first thing when you get home, write it down if you need to, but resist actually doing it. There will be time to do these little things later. Why is it so important to squeeze them in when you’re already pressed for time? Again, go with the "me factor." Tell yourself that the price of not preparing to be on time is the inability to do these little things at your leisure.
