There is nothing worse than the dread you feel when you are late to class, and still need to enter the room. The whispers and smirks around you, the sour look of your professor. You are flustered and feeling down during the rest of the class. It is extremely hard to focus. We have all experienced such events, but some people had to get through this torture more often compared to others. It seems next to impossible to be on time for them. People often think that inability to be punctual is a kind of inherent character trait, and one must live with it. But this is wrong. It is possible to become more punctual, and we will go through some simple tips to achieve this goal.
For a student, keeping to a schedule is crucial. The classes begin at certain hours, and the papers have to be submitted at certain deadlines. There is a strict timetable to follow every day. But for some people, adhering to it is hard. Sometimes, one struggles with time management to the point that it is far easier to pay for paper than try to submit it by yourself, because there is no time for it. But in life, there are things that you can’t be late for, ever. Even for five minutes. That is why habits that help one to be punctual are so important.
What Does Punctual Mean?
At first glance, being punctual means simply to “be on time.” A person with such quality is someone who always arrives at an agreed hour to any meeting. So, it seems to be rather simple. As one of the famous punctual quotes goes, “punctuality is a homely, but solid virtue.” But this is not a universal rule. Some societies are extremely strict with such matters. For others, life is too precious to be rushing anywhere. But there are areas where timely arrivals are always valued regardless of culture – such as business, politics and, of course, school. And in these instances, a “homely virtue” becomes both a hard quality to develop and a crucial skill for normal, stress-free life.
Speaking of studies, one of the main goals of going through the ups and downs of school is to understand the importance of punctuality. Here are some of the reasons why it is indeed important:
- People can rely on a punctual person.
When you always arrive exactly when agreed, you are seen as a reliable person. One can be sure that you would spend just the right amount of time to do a certain job, and that you will be there for your friend when they would need you. A punctual person is generally seen as trustworthy, and it helps both in friendship and in business.
- People see your being on time as a sign of respect.
Time is valuable. It is an irreplaceable resource. Though people say that time is money, there is a huge difference: it is possible to earn more money later, but it is near to impossible to compensate for lost minutes and hours. And when one’s tardiness makes people waste and therefore lose these precious moments, it is viewed as a sign of highest disrespect. But even in case of the most unpleasant meetings, one can win favor just by being there at an agreed hour.
- It helps to get more work done.
When you get past the deadline, you use all your resources to catch up, stealing from other tasks on your list. But when you manage to complete everything on time or even before the deadline, you free the slots for other things, like rest, for instance. So stick to the timetable, and remember: the more work you complete, the more rest is available!
So, as you can see, punctuality is an essential super skill to have. But how to be punctual when you feel that you are not able to?
From Tardy To Punctual: Simple Transformation Tips.
- Make the clock work for you.
Once, there was a student in our group who would always be late for the class. She used to arrive about an hour and a half late to our after-class meetings as well. So we once told her the wrong meeting time – about an hour and a half earlier. And she came at an exact moment we needed her to! I cannot remember if she used this experience as a lesson, but you could learn from it instead. Note down how tardy you usually are. Do you come 5, 10, 15 minutes late? Then turn all the clocks in your home, including your laptop and table clock exactly 15 minutes forward. And then use this “progressive” time for everything.
- Plan in advance
Making plans sometimes seems like an exercise in futility. The difference between all the things you have planned and the things you have actually accomplished at the end of the day can be really drastic. But even seeing all the tasks ahead on a piece of paper can help in organizing yourself. Each time you tick off the task done, you feel better and get the motivation to achieve more. Besides making plans on paper, you should use advanced planning on everything else as well: prepare your clothes and textbooks the night before, prepare lunch in advance, too. The less time you spend on preparations for the day, the better.
- Sleep well!
You can’t do anything properly when you are constantly sleeping. Your goal should be to get no less than 7 or 8 hours of sleep. Do your best to unwind properly after the busy day. Use any relaxation techniques that work or you and help you get rid of all the worries and problems circling in your head. Without sleep you won’t get energy, you won’t wake in the morning, and you would not be able to do any quality work, too.
- Prioritize.
Look at your list of tasks. What task is the most urgent? Which ones can wait? Start with the most critical first. If that task is also the most difficult – divide it into small subtasks that would require less time. By going step-by-step through your list, you will be more focused and less worried. And essentially – you will achieve better quality of your work!
- Draw the line when necessary.
Everything seems so intriguing and exciting when you are a student. You want to try everything, learn everything and help your friends, too. But when you take on too much – you inevitable get late. It is very hard to juggle many tasks.
Before You Go…
Look around you. People flit about and rush to their destinations. But being always in a hurry is the worst path to becoming punctual. Quite the opposite is true: by taking things step by step, keeping in mind what you have to do and sticking to the timetable, you are much more likely to achieve your goals.
