How to Stop Wasting Time
So…if you know me, you know I tend to be late – like, a lot.
It’s not something I do on purpose, in fact, I start out with the best intentions! I write things in my planner, set my clocks ahead to trick me into leaving early, and even set alarms…lots of them.
In spite of all my efforts I still chronically run 5-10 minutes late – well people, no more!
You guessed it, this year’s New Year resolution? Be on time!
Yep, this is the year I am kicking my bad habit, and taking back the countless minutes that add up to hours of my life (not to mention everyone else’s lives – sorry peeps) that are wasted by being late.
How you might ask? Well, turns out there are a few easy tricks of the trade to help manage time properly. So if like me, you suffer from chronic tardiness…this one’s for you!
Tip #1: Plan to be Early
When talking amongst friends and family, I was shocked to discover that my most punctual friends don’t plan to be on-time, they plan to get places anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour early. This prevents mitigating circumstances such as traffic, un-even eyebrows and getting lost from de-railing their schedules. However if you do find yourself running late, you could always try and find alternative transport methods. You could look at using an electric kick scooter. An electric scooter might take time off your journey due to not having to drive or to walk.
Tip #2: Stop Doing “One More Thing”
Ironically enough, I hate being early to things because I consider it a waste of time. Why get somewhere early, when I could fit one more ‘quick errand’ into my day and accomplish more. Right? Wrong.
Here’s how this scenario plays out: I have a lunch meeting at Noon, so I head out the door at 11:30am. It only takes me 15 minutes to get there, so in my mind I have 15 “extra minutes” to stop on the way and pick up the new mascara I’ve been needing. Well, parking to pick up said mascara takes up 5 minutes, walking to and from the store takes 6 minutes round trip, leaving me 4 minutes to buy the mascara. Next thing you know there is a line, and just like that I’m late. Oops.
This doesn’t even take into account parking for my actual meeting at Noon, or any other possible scenarios that could play out between my house, and the destination. In other words, a huge part of being on time, is being realistic about how much time things actually take.
Tip #3: Buy a Watch
What was that you say? You already have a phone that tells time? Yeah…me too. That same phone, also lights up more than Time Square with Instagram notifications, and e-mails, tweets and other shiny things that doing anything but keep people on track. The thing I love about a watch, is that it has one purpose, to tell time…that’s it! Not only that, but many of the products found on sites like WatchShopping are superb to look at and work very well as fashion accessories as well as timekeeping devices.
I mean come on, who doesn’t love a nice timepiece? As a motivator to keep me on track in 2017, I got myself a beautiful new watch from JORD Wood Watches to help me keep my resolution in style.
Want to take the first step towards punctuality?! Then I have some awesome news for you! I’ve partnered with JORD Wood Watches to give one lucky winner a $100 Gift Card towards a watch of their choice! Click here to enter!
Need more convincing about why being late is not okay? Greg Savage of the Huffington Post makes a pretty convincing argument about why being late is soooooo not cool. For even more time-saving tips, check out the rad article on Refinery 29 – it had some really good insight!
Happy New Year’s Eve! What resolutions are you making in 2017?!
xx,
Jess
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