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What does punctuality mean?
The quality or state of being punctual.
Strict observance in keeping engagements; promptness.
Showing esteem for other people and their time.
The characteristic of being able to complete a required task or fulfill an obligation before or at a previously designated time.
If a person arrives at the exact time they are supposed to are they truly on time?
If you answered yes, think again. Truly being on time means arriving early. If you are even one minute late you have missed the mark and are not punctual. In addition, punctuality is not a one-time event but the ongoing effort to being on time.
Keeping these definitions in mind, list a few activities you could do to improve your punctuality.
List a few reasons why you believe it is important to be punctual.
If you are five minutes late to a team meeting with ten participants how much time is lost?
If you said five, that is not quite correct, it is actually 50 minutes. There were five minutes per participant lost.
Consequences of being late...
A few of the negative consequences for being just five minutes late are listed below. Keep in mind that each consequence adds another negative effect.
- You get reprimanded and hours reduced
- Other participants are late to a following meeting
- Customer service is delayed causing complaints
- Reduced trust between co-workers
- Increase in stress levels for you and your co-workers
Can you think of any additional negative effects that could be caused by the loss of 50 minutes at this company?
Better three hours too soon than a minute too late. – William Shakespeare.
Consequences of being punctual...
A few of the positive consequences for arriving a few minutes early are listed below. Keep in mind that each positive consequence potentially adds another positive effect.
- Keeps all subsequent meetings on schedule
- You receive good marks on punctuality on your review
- Builds trust with your co-workers
- Allows you to focus on the important tasks
- Reduces you and your co-workers stress level
- Customers are happy because they are provided timely service.
Can you think of any additional positive effects of arriving a few minutes before the scheduled start time of the meeting?
How punctual are you?
Where did all of my time go?
The first step in becoming more punctual is to identify what you spend your time doing. This activity will help you identify important, time sensitive tasks, and the time wasters.
The link below allows you to estimate the amount of time you spend on specific tasks and will calculate the number of hours that your estimations account for.
However, if you need a more in-depth look at where your times goes you can use the printable time tracker for a week or two. The data you collect in this form would give you a more realistic picture of how you spend your time.
Once you have completed one (or both) of the above activities answer the following questions.
- What activities did you spend the least and most time on?
- How many total hours did you account for?
- Which of your activities are the least and most important to you?
- Does the importance of an activity determine the amount of time you spend on it or its place on your priority list?
- How could some of your activities impact your ability to be punctual?
Time Management
Your ability to manage your time well directly impacts your ability to be punctual. No matter your skill level in time management there is always room for improvement.
One way to improve your punctuality is to prioritize.
Let's Practice....
- Create a to-do list for the day or for the week, whichever is best for you.
- Watch the video below and select one of the five methods to organize your to-do list.
- Re-write your list using your selected method.
- Use the method for a couple of days or for the entire week and reflect on the method's effectiveness.
Let's face it there is no one-size-fits all method for managing your time. So if you find that a to-do list and prioritization wasn't a good fit, check out the article below for a comprehensive list of strategies.
Ten Quick Tips to Being Punctual
- Don't check your email or voicemail right before you leave.
- Plan for trouble.
- Set up the night before.
- Set your clocks ahead a few minutes each - by different amounts.
- Learn to better estimate how much time things will take.
- Schedule events 10 minutes early.
- Set reminders.
- Schedule events for "off-peak" hours.
- Fill your gas tank when it reaches 1/4 tank.
- Use a countdown timer.
The Bigger Picture of Functioning Punctually
If you think of a doctors office, a classroom, work, or even the bathroom schedule in your house, how important is it for all parts of the system to function efficiently to maintain a punctual schedule?
Read the two scenarios below and answer the following questions for both of the scenarios:
- Have you ever experienced this?
- List a couple of possible causes for the delayed schedule.
- List all the people that could potentially be affected by the delay.
- Brainstorm a list of possible negative consequences for the schedule being delayed.
- Brainstorm a list of actions that could be taken to reduce the likelihood of a delayed schedule in the future.
Scenario 1: The Doctors Appointment
You arrive to a doctors appointment five minutes before your appointment time, yet have to wait 45 minutes to see the doctor.
Scenario 2: The Bathroom Backup
The morning routine at your house includes three teenagers who need to use the bathroom to get ready for school. The first teenager is still in the bathroom 10 minutes into second teenager's allotted time.
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