07 October 2020

According to a study, over 46 percent of employees feel resentful towards colleagues who are always late. Here are five ways to make punctuality a habit

2:00 Min

1 Find the root

Diana DeLonzor of Never Be Late Again identified seven types of late people, including “the deadliner” who thrives off of last-minute decisions, “the absent-minded professor” who quickly gets distracted and loses track of time, or “the producer” who underestimates the time needed to complete tasks. If you struggle with time management, here is some helpful advice from those who successfully managed to get on top of things!

2 Avoid last-minute situations

Doing any task last minute will cause a domino effect. For example, if you are not waiting for an important call, email, or text, avoid checking your messages right before a meeting or an appointment. A quick check could take more time than you think and  become a distraction, causing you to lose track of time. Concentrate on the tasks at hand and move forward. Follow here for more guidance on how to avoid the “last minute” trap.

3 Create a time map

People are late because they fail to accurately judge how long a task will take – a planning fallacy. The best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour. For two weeks, track the requests you receive and how long it takes you to complete them. Then, when someone asks, “how soon can you get this done?” you’ll have a more accurate answer for them.

4 Prepare ahead

According to Amelia Earhart, “preparation, I have often said, is rightly two-thirds of any venture”. This quote can help you perform at your best. If you have an important presentation the next morning, choose your clothes, pack your work bag, and prepare your lunch the night before. Make a habit of scheduling events in your calendar 10 minutes earlier to give you time to prepare. You could also try an app such as Remember the Milk to help you stay on top of your to-do list by syncing your devices, allowing you to share tasks and reminders with others.

5 Expect the unexpected

When dealing with important and urgent tasks, always allow 25 percent more time to get the project done, just in case something comes up. ”Buffer time” will benefit your schedule and your peace of mind. Learn from LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner on how to insert buffer time for maximum productivity.