Posts Tagged ‘importance of being punctual’
Once of the biggest signs of disrespect is not being on time. Sure we have all heard the term “fashionably late” yet this has no place in your vocabulary when it comes to your professional life. When you are not on time it sets off many red flags that you certainly do not want to bring to the attention of your coworkers or supervisors. It screams out you are not organized, you are not efficient, and worse of all it says you are not respectful of someone else’s time. This is certainly not the kind of message you want to send.
Let’s face it in today’s world we are all very busy and multitasking is the norm not the exception. I have a checklist of 10 key things you can do to ensure you are on time.
1. Lay out your clothes the night before- this is a great way to save time in the morning and it will give you the opportunity to make last minute adjustments if you needed.
2. Prepare your coffee maker or breakfast the night before.
3. If you take a lunch to work prepare it the night before.
4. Have your briefcase or other work related items organized and close to the door so you can grab them quickly on your way out the door.
5. Always make sure you have gas in your car the night before- nothing is more time pressing than having to fill your tank on your way to work.
6. If you commute to work make it a practice to leave at least 15 minutes earlier than the time it will take you to drive to work, if you hit traffic or an unexpected delay you have given yourself a cushion of time.
7. Check the local traffic reports- in this day of advanced technology there are many local television and radio stations that have apps available for your smart phone or text alerts you can sign up for that will alert you to traffic delays.
8. Be prepared if there is a traffic delay have a secondary route you are familiar with in the event there is a problem.
9. Make it a practice not to return phone calls or read texts while you are driving. First of all it is dangerous and your focus should be on the road. Secondly, it actually slows you down; in a study published in US News 2011, they found that people who were talking on their phone and texting while driving were arriving later at a destination than someone who was not.
10. Listen to your favorite music or radio station on your way to work. This will relax you and when you get out of your car and head into the office you will be refreshed, on time and ready to go.
This will help you stay on time and give that wonderful impression that you are; diligent, responsible, and most of all respectful.
Ginny’s Gem: Until you value yourself, you will not value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it. M. Scott Peck