No one intends or plans to be tardy. But if you don’t plan to be on time, you’re planning to be late. Showing up late for anything can be stressful, disrespectful, and can be costly as well.
Here are some ways to guarantee you’ll always be on time:
1. PREPARE YOUR BELONGINGS THE NIGHT BEFORE.
Give yourself a head start in the morning by preparing your belongings the night before. This can save you a lot of time, especially if you’re not a morning person. You won’t have to worry about performing a task because it will already be done!
Use the evening before to pack your bag, purse or briefcase, select your work outfit, plan or prep your breakfast, and pack your lunch. Try this tip at least once and see how much more smoothly your routine goes the following morning.
2. GET A GOOD NIGHT’S REST.
Try to get at least eight hours of sleep every night. Getting little to no sleep can greatly impact your ability to get ready in the morning, not to mention having an effect on your productivity levels during the day. Do your mind and body a favor by putting a priority on getting enough sleep each night. Set a reasonable bedtime for yourself. Avoid late-night [parties on work nights. You should also strongly consider limiting your screen time in front of your computer, tablet, or smartphone, and TV before bed so you have enough time to relax and unwind.
3. SET ALARMS, REMINDERS AND NOTIFICATIONS.
Set an alarm, do not set a snooze option else you could end up loosing track of time once you fall back to sleep. Setting a timer is highly effective as well. You’ll be able to see exactly how much time it takes you to get ready and how much time you have left to finish a task. In using notifications, here’s a tip: Set one for the time you have to start getting ready to leave and one for when you actually have to leave the house,”. Set another alarm for whatever time your appointment or work starts. These frequent audible reminders can help get your attention if you’ve lost track of time. Lastly, when these timers and alarms go off, make sure you act. Don’t just switch them off and ignore them. Take action!
4. GIVE YOURSELF ENOUGH TIME TO GET READY.
How long does it take you to comfortably get ready for work in the morning? Do you need thirty minutes, forty-five minutes, an hour or more to feed the kids, bathe, shower, get dressed, and eat breakfast? If you feel even the slightest bit rushed in the morning, chances are you need more time to prepare yourself. Start by adding twenty to thirty minutes to your routine, and then ten-minute increments after that. Over time, and with practice, you’ll find a “sweet spot,” or ideal amount of time you need to get ready on any given day.
5. LIMIT OR REMOVE DISTRACTIONS.
One sure way to take back time in the morning is to reduce or completely avoid distractions. What takes away your attention or distracts you as you get ready for work? Take a good hard look at your morning routine to see what activities are an obvious time suck for you. Do you feel the pull of your email inbox, a movie you wanted to watch on TV, or the urge to reply some WhatsApp messages? Once you identify the distractions you can take steps to neutralize them.
Arriving at work on time takes willpower, determination, and focus. Make punctuality a priority in your morning routine.
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Coca Look store is located at Special Plaza 1, Lagos Avenue.
