Late for everything? Here are 7 tips to help you break the habit.
Seven takeaways:
Chronic lateness can often be attributed to several factors. Outside of ADHD, there there are a handful of personality types more likely than others to be late, From the perfectionist, who might lose track of time fussing over their appearance to “the dreamer” who doesn’t pay enough attention to detail, to “the crisis-maker” who needs an adrenaline rush to motivate them to get a move on.
So how do we overcome our chronic lateness? Here are a handful of different strategies from various experts:
- Figure out exactly how long it will take to get somewhere, then build in extra time: All too often, we assume we know how long it takes to get to a given place- but these assumptions commonly fail to factor in transition activities like parking, walking from the car, or other unforeseen roadblocks.
- Surround yourself with clocks: Whether on the wall or on your wrist, keeping clocks nearby (not just your phone) can help you stay mindful of the passage of time.
- Set lots of alarms: Frequent reminders can keep you from losing track of time. Set one alarm for when you need to start getting ready and another for when you need to leave the house– then a third for just a few minutes before your appointment begins.
- Create artificial deadlines: Procrastinators often fall into the “crisis-maker” personality type- the ones that require the thrill of a tight deadline to take action. So move your deadlines up. If you have to leave at 7, impose a deadline to do so at 6:30pm.
- Don’t start an enjoyable-or important-activity before a pressing event: “Put the brakes on” your leisurely or pressing activities well before an intended departure time. Otherwise, you risk losing track of time and getting lost in your engrossing activity.
- Plan what you’ll do if you’re early: Look for opportunities to spend time in an enjoyable way if you arrive early. See if any fascinating stops, or a useful errand, can be made in the area of other tasks.
- Envision how you’ll feel if you’re late: Often, fear of repercussion or embarrassment can animate us to be on time. The consequences of lateness are real, and we can use our innate desire to avoid negative results to be on time.
By Angela Haupt for The Washington Post
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