If you don’t value your time no one else will — Donna Brazile

Time is one the most powerful weapons to change your life. Once you have wasted your time, you can’t undo it. Habitual latecomers always arrive late and find it funny if someone tries to tell them to be punctual. They don’t value their time or that of others.

Why some people never reach on time? Maybe they never manage to leave their house on time. So do they realise that their friends and colleague feel uncomfortable and have trouble in dealing with them? Does this act have any effect on their life? You will gradually find the answers to all those questions coming in your mind.

If you are a lazy bee and have problem in managing your time, don’t worry. You can simply train yourself and overcome this problem. Here are some points which will help you to be a more punctual person.

Arrange your things the night before

Do most of the things at night that you usually leave for the morning, like packing your bag, polishing your shoes, taking out the clothes you will be wearing and ironing them, etc.

Put all the things in one place, preferably where you will be getting ready, so that you don’t have to run around and become late.

Set your clock ten minutes early

My bedroom clock is always 10 minutes ahead of the actually time, and even though I know this, it helps to rush me up. You will also find this to be a useful trick to help you get ready before the actual time and so reach your destination on time, if not early.

Estimate your time

It is better to estimate the time you have and consider the hurdles that you may encounter while accomplishing your task. Be realistic in estimating the time. By doing this you can save your time and relax for a moment. You can also arrive a little early at the place you have to go, like your school or a movie, so that you have time to settle yourself before things start.

Value the time of others

While you might not think that there is anything wrong in arriving somewhere a little late, but this is very offensive to those you have kept waiting, in fact it is an insult to your hosts, indicating that you don’t value them or their time.

I have experienced this a few times that we have arrived at a wedding on the time that has been stated on the invitation card, but the hosts was missing or just one or two people were there and the rest of the host family arrived half an hour later, clearly not bothered about the fact that their guests had arrived earlier and were feeling bored in the empty venue.

If you are a habitual latecomer, you will take time in changing and learning to be punctual. But those who are occasionally late, they can easily improve themselves. Follow these tips and set a goal in front of you so that you’ll get motivation by it. Admire the people who are punctual and try adopting their strategy.

To sum it all up, be punctual and arrive on time to value the time of the person waiting, because this will show your attitude towards them and life in general.

Published in Dawn, Business & Finance weekly, October 1st, 2016