Do you know that you are often late and you should do something about it, but you have not done anything yet? Then you can get inspired by the following recommendations of Elizabeth Grace Saunders who is a time coach. In an article titled How To Diagnose What's Making You Chronically Late published on lifehacker.com, she explains how to uncover the reasons for your bad habit of doing everything at the last moment and how to kick the habit.
1. Something is more important to you than completing your duties on time
Focus on the activities you are performing instead of your priorities. Once you realize why you are doing what you are doing, you have three possibilities: 1) find a way to combine both the activities, 2) focus only on the priority activities, 3) ignore the priority activities supposing that you don't feel a sense of guilt.
2. You have unrealistic expectations regarding a smooth run of you activities
Start to think more about the problems you may encounter. It does not mean to become a pessimist, but to be prepared.
3. You hate waiting somewhere
The idea of coming earlier and waiting somewhere is a big waste of time for you. However, finding a meaningful use of time while waiting is better than coming late.
4. You need adrenalin
Even adrenalin can be used in another way than to do everything at the last minute. For example, try to compete with yourself in how quickly - not how late - you can come somewhere or hand your work in.
5. You underestimate preparation
Do you know that moment when you need to leave the house for an important meeting and you can't find your tie, keys or mobile phone? And what about when you want to start the car and you find out that you don't have gas? You can prepare for such situations very well in advance.
6. You want to show your resistance
Try to start by admitting to yourself as well as to others that you really don't want to deal with the particular activity. Somebody else may be glad to do it. If this is not possible, you have to find a specific positive reason to finish the task in the shortest possible time.
7. You are losing track of time
Does it happen to you that you are working on a task and forget to do something else? Then, begin to set notifications on your computer or mobile phone. You will see that this is definitely not a waste of time.
8. You don't count with distractions
You are planning in a way that if it depended only on you, you could do everything on time? If you are, however, being constantly distracted by your colleagues or family members, you should talk to them about your time and learn how to plan time reserves for distractions.
-kk-