Aim to Arrive Early, Not on Time
Write Down How Long Each Task Takes
A study from the University of Illinois published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology suggests that if you don't want to be late, enumerate. By breaking big projects into smaller tasks, you can more accurately calculate how much time it will take you to get things done.
For instance, instead of thinking it will take you about an hour to get ready in the morning, enumerate each task involved. Maybe it takes you 11 minutes to shower, 16 minutes to get the kids out of bed and dressed, 17 minutes to whip up breakfast, etc. For the first few weeks, write down how long it takes you to do even the simplest things. We know it's a pain (especially if you're already running late!) but it'll be worth it. Because once you break down the times, you'll see that your initial one-hour estimate might not be enough, and you'll get a more realistic idea of how much time you need to prepare.
Diana DeLonzor, author of "Never Be Late Again," says chronically late people are often off of their time estimates by 25 to 30 percent.
Always Give Yourself Buffer Time
Now that you know exactly how long it takes for you to do certain tasks, make it a habit to add some buffer time on top of that. You can't plan for everything, but you can give yourself the gift of more time in case something goes wrong. Greg McKeown, author of "Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less" suggests adding 50 percent to your normal travel time to account of delays. It seems like a lot of time, but hey, when the earlier train you were supposed to take is delayed, you'll be grateful.
Map Out Your Trip
Knowing how much buffer time to give yourself gets easier if you map out your travels before you leave, especially if your meeting is at a new place. Make it a habit to look up the directions to the exact location, traffic conditions, alternate routes and even the weather ahead of time (raining in Los Angeles = complete gridlock) on Google Maps, Waze or your phone's map app. Add other destinations to your calculation too if you need to drop your kids off on the way or drop by the bank. Do the prep work to outwit traffic, and you'll forget you ever used, "Sorry, there was traffic" as an excuse.
Set an Alarm to Leave
Sometimes it's not enough to have just alerts for appointments on your calendar. It's just as important to end tasks on time than it is to start on time. So if you have back-to-back meetings or you know there's a morning rush to leave the house, set an alarm to alert you when it's time to leave, too. It's easy to lose track of time and this simple act can help you be more conscious of it.
Stop, Drop and Roll Out of There!
Many moms are guilty of the "just one more thing" mentality. "Just let me wash this up first" or "Taking out the trash will just take two seconds." No. Drop it. Remove "just" from your vocabulary and replace it with idea that "this can wait." What can't wait is the 10 a.m. appointment you promised you'd be at.
RELATED: The Importance of Getting Out of the House as a SAHM
Don't Overschedule
A huge reason for being chronically late is an over-packed schedule. We get it. Sometimes there's too much to do, and you can't help it, so each thing runs over into the next. And before you know it, you're late for everything! But other times there are commitments you didn't have to agree to do. Say no more often. You can't get everything done in a day.
When you feel overwhelmed, prioritize and stick to just one task at a time. A study from San Diego State University found that multitasking hikes up absences and tardiness. It's way easier to keep track of time if you're not stretching yourself thin in all directions.
