Finding Easy Ways to Save Time
Pack your book bag beforehand. Setting out all your texts and materials in advance will save you time from doing it in the morning. Invest that energy in the evening and you won't have to frantically search for your science homework in the morning or panic because you can't find your protractor. Just pack ahead of time and concentrate on getting up, dressed, and out the door.
Choose your wardrobe ahead of time. Clothing decisions, while important, are not so crucial as to make you late. Set out your outfit the evening before. That way, you can try the clothes on calmly and make a decision. It will also give you the chance to make sure that your chosen attire is sharp and matches. No one likes to end up with mismatched socks! Make sure that your clothes are clean and crisp. Pick out items that need laundry or ironing in your downtime – these tasks are too time-consuming to manage in the morning rush. Check the weather forecast for the following day on television or online and dress to suit. Choose an outfit to match the weather, especially if it might be cool or rainy.
Check off a to-do list. Keep track of all of your minor morning tasks with a daily or weekly to-do list. If you need a permission slip for the next day, get it signed and stowed away in your book bag. If you need lunch money, get it the night before. Organization is the key. Keep close track of what needs to be done each day. A to-do list might be in your head or an actual list. Similarly, it might be for one day or something that you go through each and every day. If you do keep a physical list, try putting it in a prominent place where you will see it, like the refrigerator or the bathroom mirror.
Keep personal items in a set location. There is nothing as frustrating and time consuming as searching for lost keys or a cell phone. Put all those small personal items in a set place, those things that you tend to lose. Try a basket on a counter or end table, or even the pocket of the jacket that you always wear. Put them in the same place every day so that you know where they are.
Store bigger items by the door. Make the door your loading area for the morning rush. Put your shoes, coat, gloves, hat, lunchbox, backpack, and anything else you might need in the entryway so that you can quickly up, dress, and out.
Prepare your breakfast ahead of time. Making food can eat up a lot of time, but don't think you have to choose between something quick and something healthy. Set out your breakfast the evening before or keep it ready-made in the refrigerator. If you are really short on time, grab something to take with you on your commute. Oatmeal is both delicious and nutritious. You can make enough for a whole week on Sunday evening and keep it safely in the refrigerator. Single packets of instant oatmeal are also just that -- instant. It only takes a minute or two to cook. Breakfast smoothies are great convenience foods, as well. Just find a balanced recipe (try ones with a good balance of fruit and protein), blend, and enjoy. People often say that fruit is nature's fast food. It comes prepackaged, ready-to-eat, and can be taken on the go. Bananas, apples, oranges, or grapes are good ideas.
Set your alarm. Getting up late will put you at an immediate disadvantage in your quest for punctuality. It will foil all your best laid plans. Have a reliable alarm clock or two. Know how to set it and do so every night. For heavy sleepers, louder alarms might be more effective. Choose an alarm setting that will shake you out of bed. Radio alarms follow this rule. Choose a rock station over easy listening or talk radio.
Using Better Time Management
Plan your morning ahead of time. It can be hard to think in the morning hours, particularly when you are rushed or without your daily fix of caffeine. Knowing what to expect ahead of time can help you navigate these stresses and stay on time. A routine can be very helpful.
Get up at an appropriate time. Set the alarm so that you have enough time to fully prepare for the day. Your wake up time should allow you to complete your routine without feeling rushed or panicked. At the same time, you shouldn't wake up so early that you will be fatigued. Avoid pressing the snooze button. The temptation to sleep just five more minutes can be irresistible. Resist it! It will make you late. Worse still, it often leads to multiple snoozing. Set two alarms if you are a compulsive, multiple snoozer. Put one out of reach, maybe even across the room!
Don't spend too much time on any one activity. Between showering, dressing, eating, and putting on makeup, you won't have the luxury of extra time. Consider tracking yourself during these activities to see how long you spend on each one. Keep grooming at a reasonable minimum. Doing your makeup and hair and dressing is a time killer, and your ambitions to be punctual may well die in front of the bathroom mirror. This doesn't mean neglect yourself. Just resist the urge to be perfect. There may be occasions when you should look your absolute best. On those days, plan to spend the extra time. Otherwise aim for efficiency.
Avoid getting sucked into television, electronic devices, or other distractions. Mornings ought to be about luxury, about watching the news, reading the paper, checking your texts, or nursing a cup of tea or coffee. Most of us can only afford a small indulgence, unfortunately. Resist the urge. It will cost you precious time. Limit your morning television carefully. The local traffic and weather should be enough until you can catch the 5 o'clock broadcast. If you like to read the paper or the news online, leave it as a treat for the afternoon or between classes. It, like television, will wait for your homecoming.
Don't miss your ride. Many times a student has chased the school bus down the block at least once. Don't be that person. Be outside and at your stop on time. Missing your bus or carpool can set you back by a good twenty minutes or more, depending on where you live.
Cooperate with your family. It may be that your lateness comes from living in a full house - from daily confusion, chaos, and bottlenecks for space. Talk to your parents and siblings honestly and try to come up with a system. Take turns in the bathroom. The bathroom is prime real estate in the morning for washing, dressing, and tooth brushing. Establish time limits for its use, negotiate slots, or organize it better. If you have siblings, help your parents. Your mom and dad may have the best intentions but struggle to get your younger brother, or your teenage sister, up and moving. Be considerate. Try to make their job easier and lend a hand.
Keep a clock in every room. Let the ticking of the clock be your constant reminder. Keep clocks in every room if you can, so that it always possible to see the hour. Waterproof clocks can even be installed in the shower.
Focusing on Punctuality
Overestimate how long you will take. The chronically late are often chronically optimistic when it comes to time, and how much they will need to get ready. Your intuition may be wrong. Always try to err on the side of more time.
Set your watch fast. Trick yourself into being early by moving your watch ahead by ten or fifteen minutes. The result should be that you arrive earlier by that amount of time. This tactic doesn't always work. Some people automatically subtract the time, knowing that they have a few more minutes in reality.
Find a healthy sleep schedule. Getting up on time doesn't just involve setting the alarm. It also involves a good sleep pattern. Going to bed at the same time each night will get your body into a habit, a rhythm that should make you sleepy and wakeful at the right times. Do homework as soon as you get home. Don't put it off your work until the evening or the wee hours of the night. Aim for at least 8 hours each night. This can be higher in the case of teenagers. Unfortunately, the natural sleep patterns of teens often do not match those of schools. This may be part of why you tend to be late!
Don't sweat being early. Punctuality can require a basic change of attitude. Some people sabotage themselves because they think that being early will create an awkward situation, be uncool, or just waste time. They may do it to defy authority or to assert themselves. None of this is a good reason, however. Your time is not wasted if you know how to use it. Review your homework or notes from the last class. Bring a book or magazine with you if you fear awkward social interactions. Lateness shows a disregard for social norms. This is not really a desirable quality to have, if you happen to make yourself late out of defiance or ego.
Remind yourself of the importance of punctuality. Timeliness is almost always a desirable trait – one that shows dependability, seriousness, and dedication. It is appreciated by employers, teachers, peers, and others. They take it seriously. Punctuality helps organizations work properly. Your school, and later your job, functions by doing certain things at certain times. Lateness bogs down this machine. If one person is late, it slows. If everyone is late, the machine will not work at all. Being late too often can lead to problems. It can land you in detention. Later on, it may lower workplace morale, cause your co-workers to resent you, or even anger your employer. On the contrary, studies show that punctuality is a valued trait in workers. Managers are often less likely to promote chronically late employees.
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