Three Ways to Avoid Being Late

It seems like the first thought in my head when I wake up is "When do I have to be at _____?" This is rather sad considering how when these appointments are scheduled is completely out of my control. Nevertheless, showing up late for these undesired appointments is out of the question. So after some time, I developed a short list of ways to avoid coming to any of these appointments, anxiously checking the clock as I walk in, praying that I'm right on time, instead of a little late.

Way to Avoid Being Late #1: Take your grooming and bathroom supplies with you.

These beings things like toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, deodorant (well, maybe), lip balm or gloss, and any medicine that you could put off until after driving. Essentially, you go to work, school, or whatever your intended destination is, and do your bathroom routine there. It helps you avoid being late, because you're already at your destination. Because time is simply harder to perceive when you have to calculate a forty-five minute commute instead of just a two minute walk from the bathroom to the conference room, because the amount of things that can stop you during a two minute walk is significantly less than the forty-five minute commute.

Way to Avoid Being Late #2: Multi-task effectively.

It sounds like a tall order, but in actuality this can be accomplished quite simply. Part of all multitasking is knowing which tasks you can perform simultaneously with other tasks. To do that, a little experimentation is in order sometimes, but for a guide, try this site: http://www.vark-learn.com. Try taking the questionnaire. This questionnaire is geared towards figuring out your learning style, or in other words, figuring out how you absorb information. Knowing how you absorb information is important, even when you're no longer in school. I currently just use this for my schoolwork, but knowing how I absorb information is still important in a business meeting and such.

For an example of how this helps you multi-task, I found that I'm an auditory learner, so when I'm in classes, I focus on listening. On the other hand, my lowest score was in reading and writing, so I only take a few bare essential notes. The idea is to give your primary learning style to a priority task, and lesser learning styles to lesser tasks. Personally, sometimes during my classes, I'll pay attention to the lecture by listening, and take notes for AC with the other.

Way to Avoid Being Late #3: Predict Yourself.

My dad seems to always forget things. Nearly half the time he leaves for work, a few minutes later he comes running back in exclaiming, "Forgot my keys!" This is a prime example of not predicting yourself well. If you tend to forget things, leave them in places you'll see as you walk out the door. It will help you avoid those last minute rushes back to your house for whatever you forgot, and also avoid the dread of realizing you're missing something when it's too late to turn back.

Following these steps can be a handy way to avoid getting the evil eye from your boss as you skitter in ten minutes after your shift is supposed to begin, and we all know that avoiding that is a good thing!