Do you hate to be late? Do you struggle with being on time? Beyond the obvious problems that come from being, not being on time can send an intended message to others – that my time is more valuable than yours! Now since we don’t want to convey that others, here are simple tips to help you be more on time:
– Examine your calendar. Are you overextended? Is your schedule crammed with so much stuff that there is no way you can make it anywhere on time? If so, maybe it’s time to start saying “no” to more things and streamline your calendar and in turn maybe not finding yourself running late all the time.
– Embrace margin. Being late has another consequence – stress! When we are always running late and potentially inconveniencing others, we are ramping up the anxiety in our lives. When you make it a point to be on time or even better, get places a little early, you now have something wonderful in your life – margin. In other words, you have breathing room and less stress.
– Focus on when you need to leave; not when you need to get there. We can get ourselves in trouble when we look at the clock and go, “Oh, I don’t have to be there until 9,” because we are focusing on when we need to get there, rather than on when you need to leave. It’s a small, subtle change, but when you focus on when you need to leave you’ll automatically start calculating how long you need to get somewhere and can better assure you’ll get there on time.
**Eric has his Masters in Counseling. When he’s not on the radio, he works as a private practice counselor**
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Dean Drobot
