How to be Punctual

This is going very much to be a how-to guide for myself. One of my weaknesses is that I am late, not always but a lot. Sometimes I will admit it’s because I pull myself out of bed right at the last possible minute. Sometimes it’s just because I try to squeeze in too much in a short period. The plan is to use this as the go-to guide in improving my punctuality.

1. Keep a central calendar or task APP, the trick is to manage your life in one place, that way you’re able to plan appropriately for all your tasks and avoid overextending yourself by squeezing too many activities

2. Have a time buffer of between 15–30 minutes just in case something goes wrong. A time buffer comes in handy because sometimes there could be an accident en route, you could get a flat tyre or traffic could be horrendous. That way if you have an extra 15 or so minutes you can avoid getting late, or at least too late.

3. Fill your fuel tank when it gets to a quarter, this way you won’t delay trips for a quick fuel stop.

4. Prepare, prepare, prepare. Make sure you lay out your clothes the night before if you have a meeting and notes also need to be prepared in advance, that way no last-minute tasks need to be done.

5. Be consistent about where you keep all your keys. This ultimately saves time that is easily wasted searching for keys just before driving out.

6. Learn to say no so that you don’t overextend yourself. This means prioritising and only committing to high priority tasks. This makes it easier to space meetings and activities.

7. Make sure you map out route or get directions in advance of where you are going. This way you will be able to plan accordingly and make sure you have enough travel time. There are handy map apps that show travel time in advance.

With these tips in hand, hopefully I’ll become more punctual….