Right up there with the very common New Year’s Resolution about losing weight is the one about being on time. If striving to be more punctual is on your list for 2011, then this article is for you. I’ll talk about it in two parts. First, the problems and consequences associated with being habitually late, and second, some suggestions for overcoming the tendency.
1. Consequences of tardiness, or the “high cost” of going through life being late
- Can cause you to think less of yourself.
- Can cause you to miss out totally, or at least partially, on important events and occasions.
- Can cause you to miss opportunities for advancement and achievement.
- Can cause you to be the target of negative comments, labels, and jokes. Unfortunately these “labels” can become part of your identity: “She runs late,” or “Whether church starts at 9:00 or 1:00, she is always late.”
- Can cause bad habits to be passed down to your children, afflicting additional generations with the problem.
- Can be a perverse way of trying to get attention.
- Can be a disregard for others’ time, plans, and situations. Actually, it can be sheer thoughtlessness, totally inconsiderate and absolutely rude.
- Can be dishonest. Being tardy robs others of their time.
A highly successful woman I know says that she attributes much of her success in life to the fact that she has made it a habit to be ten minutes early everywhere she goes.
2. Suggestions for overcoming the weakness of tardiness.
- Where there’s a will, there’s a way. The way is in direct proportion to the strength of the will. It depends greatly on how much you care.
- Be honest with yourself and avoid playing deceptive “games” such as setting the clock five or ten minutes ahead.
- Instead of spending your creativity on making up excuses, use the energy to be on time.
- Follow the advice of experts and realize that anything you do consistently for twenty-one days is likely to become a habit. In other words, it can be just three weeks to a more punctual you. Allow the power of habit to work for you.
- Get up on time. If you oversleep and start off behind schedule, it’s likely you will run late all day.
- Cultivate the art of planning ahead. Doing so mentally may not be enough. You may actually benefit from writing down various steps to your goal, noting the time each step should be taken. For instance, “I need to attend a function at 7:00 p.m., so at 5:00 I’ll (fill in the blank), at 6:00 I’ll (fill in the blank). At 6:30 I’ll (fill in the blank), and at 6:45 I’ll leave the house.”
To make sure I’m on time for appointments, church, and so forth, I find it works best for me to change my clothes and be dressed for the occasion an hour or so before the appointed time. In this way I’m in better control of the situation so that a last-minute interruption, or an unexpected delay, can be dealt with and I’m still able to be on time.
Sometimes the closer one lives to the church building, the more likely they are to be late because they don’t start getting ready until the meeting has already begun or they don’t allow for travel time.
Deeply entrenched habits, even addictions, can be overcome through heroic effort. Professional counseling may be necessary if you think you need expert help. Prayer and tapping into your spiritual resources for increased strength can be very helpful.
Be sure to reward yourself each time you are prompt.
You can learn to be on time. Remember, where there’s a will, there’s a way!
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