By no means am I a pro at managing my time or being on top of my schedule every second of the day. To be honest, this post is just as much for me as it is for any of you! Personally, I have had a terrible habit of being late in the past and it is something I worked on for many years. My mom used to joke and say the only time I was ever early for anything was when I was born- considering I arrived a few weeks early! They should have just named me, “Late Kate” (haha). Nevertheless, I feel I have made huge strides in the realm of tardiness! So, today I’m talking about being late and the things that we can do to break this habit. Take it from a serial late-ist like myself, below are 6 great things you can implement in order to improve your habit of being late!
1. Understand it is a habit you must break
Just like when an avid smoker is trying to quit tobacco, you too have to work hard at quitting your bad habit. If you are someone who is constantly late for things, you have developed a pattern of being late. It is so important that you recognize being late is, in fact, a habit! Admitting you have a problem is the first step towards recovery right? Well, same goes for this! You must first acknowledge this behavior as a bad habit so you can then move on and learn how to break the cycle.
2. Figure out the “Why”
This one shouldn’t be too difficult for you to figure out. Just take a few minutes and really think about the reason or reasons as to why you are always late. Is it because you snooze your alarm 4 times? Is it because you take 10 minutes to locate your lost keys each morning? Or maybe it is because you can’t decide what you want to wear, so you are then forced to change your outfit 3 times before heading out. Whatever the case may be for you, take a hard look at your daily routine and make a note of your problem areas.
3. Have a planner
Whether you choose to have a day planner, use the calendar on your smartphone, or utilize some other method, make sure you have some way to map out your schedule. This will ensure you never miss a meeting, appointment, or event. It will also allow you to plan out your weeks so you never miss a beat. I always suggest noting the time of your event, as well as the location. These key facts will better help you plan and prepare. I went into detail about my favorite planner and all the ways I use it in my post, 8 Ways To Stay Organized.
4. Prep the night before
I’m talking outfits, meals, packing your bag or purse, and anything else. Everything you need for the next day should be done the night before. If you’re stopping at the gym on your way to work, pack your gym bag. If you need to bring lunch with you the next day, prepare it beforehand. Lay out your outfit, get your things together, and put your stuff by the door. These are the things that have the potential to drag you down in the morning. When you are tired and rushing around, you aren’t thinking clearly. You may have trouble remembering where you left something or have a difficult time making a decision on what to wear. Doing these tasks the night before will open up your morning and allow you to wake up, get ready, and head right out the door. It will also ensure that you don’t forget anything!
5. Time how long things take
One of the biggest culprits of my own lateness is underestimating how long certain tasks take. I could be laying in bed, see that I have to leave my house in 45 minutes and say to myself, “That’s plenty of time to shower, get dressed, do my hair and makeup, take the dog out, pack my stuff, and leave.” And boy am I wrong! I have a tendency to miscalculate how long it takes to do things, which usually will then cause me to be late. The best way to fix this is to time how long it takes you to do things. I know it sounds a bit silly, but it is so helpful! On a day where you are not rushed to go somewhere, time how long it takes you to get up and carry out your usual morning routine. This will give you a good estimate of how long it will take you to get out the door in the morning. By knowing this, you can have a better idea of what time you need to set your alarm for and what time you need to be leaving your house.
6. Plan for the unexpected
In my opinion, this may be the most common reason as to why people are late. Picture this: you have picked out your clothes, packed your things, and planned out your day right down to the very minute. But as you’re walking out the door, your dog runs into you and spills your Breakfast Smoothie all over your clothes. Now you’re forced to run upstairs to change your outfit. And guess what…now you’re late! While you’re planning your schedule and timing your tasks, if it takes you 45 minutes to get yourself ready and get out the door, don’t give yourself just 45 minutes. The same goes for driving to work or appointments. Always, always, always give yourself a buffer. You NEVER know when something will set you back. Even something as simple as traffic or your neighbor blocking your car in can add to how long it will take you to get somewhere. Always give yourself a little extra time to get ready and get where you need to go. It is better to show up early to something (which you should do anyway) than be late because of something unexpected.
How do you manage your time to ensure that you are never late? Do you have any tricks that help you stay on schedule? I hope this post helps you (and me) stay on track and stay on time! If this is one of your personal flaws, don’t stress because you are not alone my friend. Let’s work on conquering this together!
This post contains affiliate links.
Shop The Post
