Constantly Late? Improve Punctuality With These 4 Tips

You tap the snooze button multiple times, then frantically jump out of bed when you notice it’s almost time for work. You yank a comb through your tangled tresses and grab the first shirt you see, praying that nobody notices the wrinkles. Breakfast consists of whatever you can stuff in your mouth during red lights, which happens to be a random candy bar from your glove box today.

Does the scenario above ring a bell? If so, maybe you're part of the 30% of Americans who are late for work on a daily basis. You might also struggle with punctuality when it comes to medical appointments, school, or social functions.

The occasional late appearance is normal, but it's time to make some changes if you’re constantly late for commitments. Tackle your punctuality struggles with these handy tips.

Identify Why You’re Late

You can't address your tardiness until you truly understand why you're constantly late. Start by identifying whether your punctuality problems stem from internal or external factors. Internal factors are things related to your personality and health. External factors are things that you aren't directly responsible for, such as heavy traffic or a slow school dropoff line.

Here are some common internal factors that may trigger tardiness:

• You're overly optimistic about your ability to arrive on time
• You're a passive-aggressive person who doesn't really want to go to your scheduled destination
• You're exhausted due to depression, fibromyalgia, or other health issues
• You enjoy the attention of a late arrival

If external factors are at play, consider what you can do to fix them. Can you leave earlier for work each day if traffic jams are likely? Would it help to choose a different daycare for your kids? Would your boss let you telecommute to reduce driving time?

Create a Punctuality Plan

After pinpointing the reason for your frequent tardiness, create actionable goals to help you address any issues. If slow-moving traffic makes you late, leave the house 15 or 20 minutes earlier. If school or daycare schedules make that difficult, ask your boss if you can change your start time.

Visit a healthcare provider if medical issues consistently make you late for commitments. Your medical team can tweak your current treatment plan or provide other suggestions for symptom management.

Utilize Timers and Alarms

Sometimes poor time-management skills trigger tardiness. If you often lose yourself in video games or Netflix binges before a commitment, limit your screen time. Rather than promising yourself you'll just enjoy a few more minutes of fun, set a timer or alarm on your phone for a specific amount of time.

When your phone beeps, it's time to stop whatever you’re doing. Don’t bargain with yourself or try to enjoy a few more minutes of screen time. You must quit your activity and head to any scheduled commitments.

If you lack discipline, create a small reward system to encourage consistency. Do whatever works for you, whether you get coffee if you leave for school 30 minutes early or a gourmet meal if you're on time for work all week.

Track Travel Times

If punctuality problems still plague you after trying the suggestions above, consider tracking departure and arrival times in a journal. Mention what traffic was like, how you felt physically and mentally before you left, and whether you did anything first, such as ate breakfast or played on your phone.

Tracking daily habits helps establish patterns that may contribute to your frequent tardiness. You may learn that traffic is crazy if you leave at 8:35 a.m. rather than 8:30 a.m., or you might find that taking prescription meds too early leaves you fatigued.

Tracking travel times also helps you determine how long it actually takes to get from your starting location to other destinations. This makes it easier to embrace punctuality because you know exactly how much time you need. Make sure you add some buffer time for unexpected issues.

Consistently arriving on time for scheduled commitments requires self-discipline and personal accountability. These skills may seem unattainable if you suffer from chronic tardiness, but you aren't a lost cause. Practice the suggestions above regularly, and watch as your punctuality problems become a thing of the past.