Being on time...…

Being on time...…

One of the common attributes of all successful people is that they view their time as a precious resource. When you are late for appointments with people who value their time, you will have wasted one of their most valuable assets and there is a good chance they will view you as rude, irresponsible and disrespectful. Is this how you want to project yourself?

Not only should you make every effort to be on time for business-related appointments, but you should also do your utmost to be on time for personal commitments. Valuing your friend’s time and earning their respect is an important part of your individual reputation.

Why being on time is very important…

Being punctual shows others that you are a man of your word.

If you tell someone that you will meet them at a certain time, you have essentially made them a promise. And if you say you’ll be there at 9:00, and yet arrive at 9:30, you have essentially broken that promise. Being on time shows others that you are a man of your word.

Being punctual shows others can rely on you. 

A man can always be found at his table, carrying out the duties needful for that time. People know they can rely on such a man – if he says he will be there, he’ll be there. But if a man is not punctual, others cannot rely on him — they do not know where he will be when they need him. His colleagues will begin to feel he cannot manage his own time, and these doubts will creep into matters beyond the clock, as it naturally raises the question: “If he is careless about time, he will be careless about everything.

Being punctual gives you self-confidence. 

Showing up on time not only tells other people you are reliable, it teaches you that you can rely on yourself. The more you keep the promises you make, the more your self-confidence will grow. And the more you gain in self-confidence, the less you will be at the mercy of your compulsions and habits, and the more in control of your life you will feel.

Being punctual assures you’re at your best. 

When you show up on time, better yet a little early, you have a few minutes to collect your thoughts, review your materials, and get better equipped to face the situation. You are at your best.

Being punctual shows you are more disciplined. 

The punctual man shows that he is more disciplined and can organize his time much better than those who are not punctual.

Being punctual shows your respect for others.

Being late is a selfish act, for it puts your needs above another’s. You want  extra time to do what you’d like, but in gaining that extra time for yourself, you take away the extra time  from another, which shows your disrespect for others.

Being late is a form of stealing. 

When you make others wait for you, you rob minutes from them that they’ll never get back. Time they could have turned into money, or simply used for the things important to them. In coming to meet you at the agreed upon hour, they may have made sacrifices – woken up early, cut short their workout, told their kid they couldn’t drop them to school – and your lateness negates those sacrifices. If you wouldn’t think of taking ten Rupees from another man’s wallet, you shouldn’t think of stealing ten minutes from him either. Being punctual shows you value time yourself, and thus wouldn’t think of depriving others of this precious, but limited resource.

Being late disturbs other people. 

Your lateness not only robs others of their time, but disturbs them as well. The student who interrupts a professor in the middle of his lecture; the family which climbs over you to get to their seats at the middle of the row in the theater; When an old man was once asked why he had been so punctual in arriving at his church on time for decades, he replied, “I made it my religion not to disturb the religion of others.”

Being late strains relationships. 

When you’re late in meeting other people, it makes them feel under-valued, that whatever you couldn’t pull yourself away from was more important or that they didn’t mean enough to you to warrant allotting sufficient time to arrive on schedule. The boss who flies in to see you feels like a dope standing at the airport alone and your child feels abandoned as he waits at school  for you to arrive, all the other children having already been picked up from school.

Being late hurts professional career. 

Whether you’re an employee or in business for yourself, being late can hinder your professional success. Many companies have strict policies about punctuality — get a few warnings and you’re gone. Of course, if you arrive late to the job interview, you probably won’t land the position in the first place. And if you’re trying to win over a new client, arriving ten minutes late isn’t going to get things off on the right foot, in the same way that promising to get something to him by a certain date and then failing to do so, may have him looking elsewhere for your services.

Being late affects your life.

Always running behind simply hurts you in all areas of your life. It results in lost opportunities: missing a train, missing a meeting, missing an important part of a lecture, missing a birthday. It creates stress and can lead to accidents. It results in embarrassment and forces you to come up with excuses for why you’re late, putting a black mark on your honesty. Basically, it makes your life more complicated; for people seeking to simplify their lives, being punctual is an essential part of that path.

 Reasons You Should Arrive Early:

To give yourself a buffer in case something delays you. Planning to show up at the exact time of your appointment leaves no room for error.

To be relaxed for the appointment. Running through the door stressed out because you were rushing, never reflects well on you.

To make sure you are prepared for the appointment. Always arrive early so you will have a few minutes to relax, think about your agenda, and get organized.

To avoid making up an excuse for being late.  Please note people hate listening to excuses.

When you can’t be on time…

Circumstances do arise and it won’t always be possible to be on time. If you are going to be late for an appointment, call as soon as you know you are going to be late. This allows others to plan their schedules accordingly.

When you are on time you enhance your brand. When you are late, you devalue your brand.  Being on time is a choice.

Take pride in being a person who is always on time and prepared for appointments. Remember, there is no downside in showing up early, but there is significant downside to showing up late

If being on time is important to you, you will be respected, as someone who is always on time.