Get up on time
Learn to say ‘no'
How can you get yourself anywhere on time if you're busy putting everyone's needs ahead of yours? Try not to let others sabotage your time and cause you to be late. That means politely declining your co-worker's request to take on their tasks or feigning night blindness when your neighbor routinely asks you to drive her to PTA meetings.
Prioritize
"Making punctuality a priority is the first step in conquering lateness."
Nobody famous said that, I just made it up. But it makes perfect sense. If you're not focused on being punctual, there are a million distractions that will cause you to lose track of time.
Remember, "The early bird gets the worm." (I didn't make that one up.)
Have a plan
Lateness is usually caused by poor planning. So think ahead about where you have to be and have a plan to help your schedule run smoothly.
If you have a morning meeting, prepare for breakfast before you go to bed, set out clothes you need to wear and, most importantly, determine the travel time to your destination and set your departure time. If you're like me, all this planning will have caused a lot of anxiety, which will prevent you from sleeping. So also plan on having a big cup of chamomile tea before bed.
Scope out your destination
The internet is awesome! You can use it to look up your destination ahead of time and find out all sorts of important things: Where to park, what the cross streets are and even what the building looks like. You can also use it to find out the closest coffee and doughnut shops. With all of your reconnaissance, you're certain to get there early and need somewhere to bide your time.
Value the time of other people
Habitual lateness says you don't value the time of others. At least that's what the psychologists say. (I'll bet that person who's been waiting for you for 30 minutes would say, too.)
Try to put yourself in the other person's shoes, and think about how you feel when other people make you wait and waste your valuable time. It probably makes you angry, which psychologists say is a valuable emotion and one that leads to self-growth. By the way, I just saved you $250.
Know where your things are
I'm usually late because I can't find my keys. Actually, that's a lie. I'm usually late because I never leave on time. But not being able to find my keys—or my sweater, or my purse, or my shoes—doesn't help. All of us need to take a moment, look on Pinterest and find one of those caddies made out of an old milk crate that organizes all of our important things right by the door. I'm not kidding here's one. You're welcome.
