I come from the world of broadcasting. In broadcasting punctuality is paramount. You can’t be late for your shift. That’s almost as bad a sin as dead air. Shows begin at the top of the hour. You never hear the local news promoted as “Details at elevenish.” To me, being on time is not just a point of pride but a requirement of the job, like combing your hair and not showing up on crack.
So in the business world it rankles me when workers make an appointment, either to come to the house, or just a meeting — and they’re considerably late (without a good excuse like a meteor fell on the freeway — and even then, did it block all four lanes?). To me, it’s a signal that the worker doesn’t give a shit. If he doesn’t care about showing up on time, how good can his actual work be?
This extends to personal relationships as well. Certain people are chronically tardy. And in many cases they’re not even apologetic about it. What that says to me is their time is way more important than mine. I'm sorry, but that’s incredibly rude. And I’ve dropped people from my life because they do that.
Sure, everyone gets hung up on occasion. Shit happens. But text the other person that you’re running late. Show some consideration. Don’t just sweep in a half hour late and say you’re famished. I think keeping people waiting at restaurants (back when we could go to restaurants) has increased because the late arriver just assumes the other person can occupy themselves with their phone. Still, my time is just as valuable as yours!
You’re an intelligent person (okay, assuming you also believe in science and don’t give money to the Orange Toxic Sewage), you know that it takes you longer to get out of the house, load the truck, whatever — just back-time accordingly. You’re meeting someone for dinner at 7:00. It takes twenty minutes to the get to the restaurant, a half hour to shower and get ready, ten minutes to feed the dog. That means if you start the process at 6:00 you’re on time. It’s going to take the same hour if you start at 6:00 or 6:40 — just PLAN.
I also see a lot of these people begin to get ready and then get distracted. They begin another task in the middle thinking it’ll just take a minute. If you’re that person allow 90 minutes to get ready for a 7:00 appointment.
Time management is not drug addiction. Seems to me it just requires effort. And I say that because if the event or meeting or job is important to the chronically late person, he is always on time. And you know that’s true.
I’m not saying you have to be everywhere an hour early. Just on time. If you have to be somewhere at 7 and you’ve back-timed to 6, just set an alarm on your phone to remind you and you should be good to go.
Trust me, your friends, lovers, co-workers, and customers will thank you (and not dump you or fire you). So please, to whom it may concern: make this a New Year’s Resolution. And don’t start it on January 2nd.
from By Ken Levine
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