Be On Time!

You know the old saying: "He’d be late to his own funeral." Not so funny when careers and friendships expire after too many missed deadlines by the chronically tardy among us.

Here are Six Ways To Never Be Late Again

1. Reset Your Internal Clock
In today’s hectic world, it’s often too easy to convince ourselves that we will have enough time to meet a deadline. Reset your internal clock to accommodate your habits. If you tend to be fifteen minutes late for every meeting or event, reset your internal clock to be there fifteen minutes early. Ditto if you tend to be 30 minutes late. You’ll welcome the extra time to read a magazine article you bring along, check your cell phone messages, write down a new idea or spend the extra minutes to mentally prepare to be at your best.

2. Go By Real Time, Not Wishful Thinking
You can’t wish the next hour into becoming two, so be realistic about deadlines. Pro-actively letting your boss or mate know that you can’t complete an activity in an hour (when you know it will take two) will produce more productive results than the trouble that comes later by promising what you can’t deliver. Be honest with yourself and with others.

3. Make and Manage a Daily Time Schedule
The quickest way to see how much time you will have in your day is to begin your day by writing down all the tasks you hope to accomplish. Eliminate those you can accomplish another day to give yourself more time to circle and complete the most important tasks first.

4. Eliminate Distractions
Don’t let the threat of distractions ruin your day’s schedule and make you late. Vow not to check email, make a call or answer your cell phone 30 minutes before a deadline or your departure for an appointment.

5. Just Say No
Often, it’s the inability to say no that leads to missed deadlines and late arrivals. If you can’t do more than what already is on your day’s schedule, politely decline and include an explanation for why you don’t have the time. Example: "No. I wish I could, but I have two appointments this afternoon." Practice makes perfect, so practice saying a polite no in front of your mirror.

6. Don’t Be A Party To Others Being Tardy
Others being tardy can make you late in meeting your goals, too. Be considerate in your requests to others, recognizing that you might be setting someone else up to be late by setting strict deadlines. Ask if more time is needed, and be willing to compromise. Your rewards likely will be a stronger relationship and a job well done in gratitude.