What would others say about your time keeping if asked?
Are you the family member, friend, colleague, business associate who plans to arrive before the meeting time or do you leave it until the last minute?
Good time keeping shows discipline. It shows you value your time and the other person’s time. Nobody should have to wait on you unless of course an incident has occurred which is out of your control i.e. a car has broken down on the motorway causing traffic or you suddenly feel unwell.
Many a celebrity run late to perform at their concerts, I guess this is why supporting acts exist – they help to kill time and gain some exposure. Fans are only too happy to wait hours on end to see the likes of Rihanna, Madonna and co. It is unlikely you and I would be given that level of grace.
Here are some practical pointers to good time keeping (some may be obvious but I have added them all the same):
1. Plan to arrive 15-30 minutes before the time of the meeting. If there are no delays to your journey you can grab a coffee and catch up on your emails.
2. Check your route at least an hour before you leave out. There may be train delays or traffic on the route you plan to take. You then have time to find an alternative route.
3. Prepare as much as you can the night before. Check the weather forecast then choose your clothes, shoes, other necessary items and pack your bag. It can be stressful deciding what to wear or hunting for items on the same day. I always select my clothes and my children’s clothes the night before. It really does not matter where we are going. It has become a habit and I can see the benefits.
I hope my pointers will start you off on the right track. Perhaps you have some suggestions you may like to add.
Would you say you have good time keeping or is there room for improvement?