Bob Goldman
Sorry if I kept you waiting.
I know how important it is to have a new “Work Daze” for you, right on schedule, but I had a serious finger-fatigue emergency from playing Asura’s Wrath. Then I started thinking about how quickly Travis would recover if Taylor dumped him for me, which I sincerely hope doesn’t happen, because, while I like Taylor, I am not ready to commit and just lost track of the time.
Before I knew it, I was three weeks late.
We all know people who are late pretty much all the time. Maybe you, yourself, have struggled with getting places on time, especially when they’re places you don’t want to go, such as to work.
And being consistently late to work can be damaging to your career. It suggests to your boss that you don’t care about your job, which you actually could lose. When it comes to jettisoning employees for being consistently late, managers rarely dawdle. You’ll be in HR and out the door before you know it.
All of which brings us to “Late for everything? Here are seven tips to help you break the habit,” an Angela Haupt article in The Washington Post.
According to Haupt, there are many reasons for chronic tardiness, “including specific personality traits and a lack of time-management skills.” These traits include the “perfectionist,” who puts off leaving for work until every hair is in place. Or the “crisis maker,” who “needs an adrenaline rush to get going.” Or the “dreamer,” who “doesn’t pay enough attention to detail.”
Or my personal favorite, and yours, too, I’m sure: “the defier,” who “rebels against expectations.” (“You’re not supposed to show up at work in your PJ’s? Hey, I’m not a robot.”)
Whatever the cause of your persistent tardiness, here are the seven tips from Haupt, to which I will add two or three well-chosen words, if I’m not too late.
No. 1: Figure out exactly how long it will take to get somewhere, then build in extra time.
You live five miles from the office as the crow flies, but the crow doesn’t lose its keys and have to spend time trying to find them (they’re in the freezer, under that carton of Chunky Monkey; don’t ask me why). Crows also don’t stop for doughnuts or have to turn around halfway to work because they’re not sure they turned off the stove.
No. 2: Surround yourself with clocks.
“Display clocks everywhere you spend time,” says time-management coach Rashelle Isip. You’ll need at least two in your bedroom, three in your bathroom and five lined up on your couch. “Don’t discount a good, old-fashioned wristwatch,” she adds. I agree. A yellow-gold Rolex Yachtmaster can be picked up for only $48,950 dollars, not including tax, or the cost of the therapy you’ll need when your partner learns you maxed-out your credit cards to buy it.
No. 3: Set lots of alarms.
I can help — “Yikes! I’m really late!” is a classic, as is “Hey! Was I really supposed to finish this report two weeks ago?” Need to be more alarmed? Check the balance of your 401(k).
No. 4: Create artificial deadlines.
The big meeting in the big office where you’ll make your big presentation is in two days. Tell yourself you have to leave today. “You’re fooling yourself,” says clinical psychologist Linda Sapadin, “but we do lots of things to fool ourselves.”
Like thinking anybody gives a hoot about your big presentation.
No. 5: Don’t start an enjoyable — or important — activity before a pressing event.
Like reading this column! Uh-oh! Too late.
No. 6: Plan what to do if you’re early.
Use the extra time to meet someone new, get to know them, move in together and get married. After your meeting, you can have a conscious uncoupling. Then you’ll be prepared to meet someone new at your next meeting.
No. 7: Envision how you’ll feel if you’re late.
“Transporting yourself to that moment and imagining the consequences of being late in visceral detail, can be very motivating,” writes Haupt. I agree. Envision how your co-workers will judge you when you stroll in late, once again, to an important meeting. Visualize how your manager will react when you’re late, once again, in finishing a project for which you’ve already missed two deadlines.
Imagine how much everyone at your job will admire you as you load up your boxes and security walks you out the door. It’s a lesson that could cure your tardiness forever, but probably won’t.
Bob Goldman was an advertising executive at a Fortune 500 company. He offers a virtual shoulder to cry on at bob@bgplanning.com.
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