Dear Dumplin,
Don’t be late. Be on time. Don’t be late. Be on time. BE ON TIME all the time for everything. As a matter of fact, be early.
It amazes me that people continue to think time is of little to no importance. It doesn’t matter if you have an appointment, interview, meeting, or lunch, you shouldn’t make people wait. Meet people at the time you say you are going to meet them. Call when you say you are going to call. Show up when you say you are going to show up. It’s common courtesy. People rarely forget when you have been rude to them. Making people wait is rude.
More importantly, time is one of the most valuable commodities you will ever have. People always want more of it. It cannot be replaced. Once it is gone, it is gone. Respect people’s time and respect your own time. Wasted time is inevitable, but try to minimize wasting time as much as you can. Here are my three tips to help you stay prompt and maximize this thing we call time.
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Set multiple alarms. Not just to wake up, but also for events. If you need to leave your house at 1:00 pm to go somewhere, set an alarm for 12:45 pm. If you need to start a project or chore by a certain time, set an alarm to remind you. Use tools available to you to help you reach your goals.
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Make lists with notes for how long each item should take. If you have ten items to get done but each one might take two hours or more, its possible you may not get it all done. Your list is your tool. It will help you prioritize and set realistic expectations for what you can get done.
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Let people know if you will be late. Sometimes it is impossible to avoid being late. There may be traffic or you may get sick. As soon as you know you will be late, let anyone waiting for you know. It allows them to schedule their time accordingly and it is considerate. Apologize for making people wait. This goes for friends, family, or business. Treat people well. You won’t regret it.
I hope this helps you build good relationships and make great impressions. More advice to come.
Love,
Mama