![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.successseriesllc.com\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/Chronically-late.jpg\" "\\"Four")
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Life Area: Personal and Professional Topic: Time Management <\/p>\n Many people have the habit of constantly running late \u2026 er ah, let me re-state that: I used to have the habit of constantly running late \u2026 and it drove myself and others crazy!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Some have the opposite problem \u2013 they often arrive too early. This is annoying as well, but in a different way. In any event, more people seem bothered by chronic lateness. Feeling as though you\u2019re always running 20 minutes behind schedule is an unhappy feeling. Having to rush, forgetting things in your haste, dealing with annoyed people when you arrive\u2026 it\u2019s no fun.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There are many reasons you might be late, but some reasons are particularly common. The first step is to identify the problem \u2013 then you can see more easily what you need to change. Are you late because\u2026<\/p>\n If you\u2019re so exhausted in the morning that you sleep until the last possible moment, it\u2019s time to think about going to sleep earlier. Many people don\u2019t get enough sleep, and sleep deprivation is a real drag on your personal energy and health. Try to turn off the light sooner each night.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Apparently, this is a common cause of tardiness. If you always try to answer one more email or put away one more load of laundry before you leave, here\u2019s a way to outwit yourself: take a task with you that you can do once you reach your destination. Tell yourself that you need that 10 minutes on the other end to read those brochure drafts or check your CFO\u2019s figures.<\/p>\n Figure out the precise time that you need to leave for your typical commute by testing it day-by-day at that hour.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n You may tell yourself it takes twenty minutes to get to work, but if it actually takes forty minutes, you\u2019re going to be late. Have you exactly<\/em> identified the time by which you need to leave? Figure out the precise time that you need to leave for your typical commute by testing it day-by-day at that hour. Then you will know when you are supposed to leave in order to be on time, or you\u2019ll know that you are running late and can give a heads-up to those who will be affected.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Nothing is more annoying than searching for lost objects when you\u2019re running late. Designate a place in your house for your major out-the-door items, and put those things in that spot, every time. I keep everything I need as I go out the door in a bowl on a credenza nearby. If you still can’t find your keys, or whatever, click [here<\/a>] for a clip from the Today <\/em>show on some tips for finding misplaced objects<\/a> featuring Michael Solomon, a self-proclaimed \u201cfindologist\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Your wife can\u2019t find her phone, your son can\u2019t find his Spanish book, so you\u2019re late. As hard as it is to get yourself<\/em> organized, it\u2019s even harder to help other people<\/em> get organized. Try setting up a \u201ckey things\u201d place in your house. Prod your children to get their school stuff organized the night before\u2014and coax the outfit-changing types to pick their outfits the night before, too. Get lunches ready, etc.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This is an exasperating problem. You\u2019re supposed to be someplace else, but you\u2019re trapped in a meeting that\u2019s going long. Sometimes, this is inevitable, but if you find it happening over and over, identify the problem. Is too little time allotted to meetings that deserve more time? Is the weekly staff meeting twenty minutes of work crammed into sixty minutes of time? If you face this issue repeatedly, there\u2019s probably an identifiable problem \u2013 and once you identify it, you can develop strategies to solve it \u2014 e.g., sticking to an agenda; circulating information by email; not permitting discussions about contentious philosophical questions not relevant to the tasks at hand, etc. (this last problem is surprisingly widespread, in my experience).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A friend was chronically late dropping off her son at sports activities until her son said, \u201cYou\u2019re always late dropping me off because it doesn\u2019t affect you, but you\u2019re always on time to pick me up, because you\u2019d be embarrassed to be the last parent at pick-up.\u201d She was never late again.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n If you dread going to work that much, or you hate school so deeply, or wherever you\u2019re heading, you\u2019re giving yourself a clear signal that you need think about making a change in your life.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n My favorite days are when I\u2019m going a 100 miles an hour with back-to-back-to-back meetings, phone calls, appearances, or whatever, and it just flows. I love it! I broke the chronically late habit long ago by implementing many of the above ideas and by beginning my day the night before and being intentional and deliberate about every minute of the day. Late or not, if you find yourself rushing around every morning, may I suggest you simply experiment to find what change would make the most impact. Start by considering just waking up earlier (see #1 above). Yes, it\u2019s tough to give up those last precious moments of sleep, but it\u2019s even tougher to go to bed earlier and cut into what, for many people, is your needed \u201cgear-down\u201d time.<\/p>\n Please share this blog post with your family and friends. <\/strong><\/p>\n My mission is to inspire people and organizations to live their highest vision.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n I am a Success Strategist and Master Coach. I provide transformational coaching and training<\/a> for individuals and organizations to help you Grow Your Life<\/strong> and Build Your Business<\/strong> by getting clear and focused on what you want, why you want it, and how to create it. Learn more about me at SuccessSeriesLLC.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n There is no better endorsement than that of a friend, so if you like what you\u2019re reading or are using my many FREE resources<\/a>, tell a friend to join the Tom Hart Success Series Community<\/a>, to receive email notifications of new blog posts<\/a> and Talk with Tom podcast episodes<\/a>, learn of upcoming events<\/a>, and other news, by visiting my website<\/a> and clicking on the offer to receive my FREE monthly resource by leaving their email address OR forward this to them and have them simply click here<\/strong><\/a> (we respect your privacy and do not tolerate spam and will never sell, rent, lease or give away your information to any third party<\/em>).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" #GrowYourLife #BuildYourBusiness Life Area: Personal and Professional Topic: Time Management Are You Chronically Late? Many people have the habit of constantly running late \u2026 er ah, let me re-state that: I used to have the habit of constantly running late \u2026 and it drove myself and others crazy! Some have the opposite problem […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49,50,48],"tags":[73],"class_list":["post-3050","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-build-your-biz","category-grow-your-life","category-life-areas","tag-resources"],"yoast_head":"\n
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\n<\/strong><\/p>\nAre You Chronically Late?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
1. YOU SLEEP TOO LATE?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. YOU TRY TO GET ONE LAST THING DONE?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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3. YOU UNDERESTIMATE YOUR COMMUTE TIME?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. YOU CAN\u2019T FIND YOUR KEYS\/WALLET\/PHONE\/SUNGLASSES?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR HOUSE ARE DISORGANIZED?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
6. YOUR CO-WORKERS WON\u2019T END MEETINGS ON TIME?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
7. YOU HAVEN’T CONSIDERED HOW YOUR BEHAVIOR AFFECTS SOMEONE ELSE?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
8. YOU HATE YOUR DESTINATION SO MUCH YOU WANT TO POSTPONE SHOWING UP FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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