Why It Pays to Be On-Time
For many of us, time can feel like our enemy. If you find yourself constantly falling behind and running late, you may want to re-assess the way you approach your schedule. If we make a point of being on-time as often as possible, we will invite more success and relaxation into our lives. But we cannot become exceptional time travelers overnight. If punctuality has been a struggle, making it a habit will take practice!
Consider how improving your punctuality in these three ways will benefit your career and finances:
Time and Money Matters: If we miss due dates on our bills, credit cards, or mortgage payments, our credit score will take a hit. Pay your bills on-time by scheduling automatic transfers out of your account well before these due dates. Build your monthly budget with these expenses in mind so that you will be able to afford them without delay. Use calendars, planners, and other tools to remind yourself that these payments will be coming out of your account.
Work-Related Paperwork: In order to build and run a business, you will need to submit all appropriate forms and applications correctly and on-time. Do your research to avoid missing deadlines. For instance, tax payment and filing deadlines are important to stick to. By paying your taxes throughout the year, not only will you avoid penalties, but you’ll also avoid big, year-end tax surprises. If you are unsure of how to correctly submit paperwork, make sure you seek assistance well ahead of deadlines.
Respect Your Neighbor’s Schedule: Make a point of showing up to meetings on-time. This conveys to the other person that they have your full attention and that you respect them as well as their time. If a meeting starts on-time, your punctual arrival leaves a positive impression and shows your commitment. On the other hand, arriving late fill us with stress, which can interfere with our ability to perform well during the meeting. Also, arriving late may put other participants behind schedule, forcing everyone to rush thereby compromising the meeting’s quality. Avoid the chance of arriving late by doing your research ahead of time. Look up how long traffic will take at that time of day. Find out what the parking situation will be like. Add additional time to accommodate for traffic accidents and other unexpected delays. Give yourself enough time to prepare, so that you are not rushing right before your meeting.
An emphasis on timeliness can also help us achieve our goals! In order to reach our personal and financial objectives on-time, we will need to push ourselves to work daily toward this end. If you stick to your timeline for your goals, you set yourself up to achieve progressively bigger ones, like homeownership, parenthood, or retirement, on your terms!
Whatever you need to do to keep yourself on-schedule, such as waking up earlier, preparing meals ahead of time, or investing in organizational tools, dedicate yourself to preparedness and timeliness whenever possible. To learn more ways you can improve your daily efficiency, visit the Syncis team at www.syncis.com/blog.
