12 Things You Can Do to Leave on Time

So many people are tardy when arriving at work, church, school events, meetings, and other places because they fail to do the following things before the time they should be leaving. As a result, they are making excuses as to why they couldn’t be on time. Don’t let things you can control keep you from arriving on time.

One. Plan the night before. Make a list of things that need to be done.

You know how long it takes you to do things like eat, care for children, and dress yourself, but if you don’t, start paying closer attention to the clock on days when you aren’t pressed for time. Conduct a drill and note the time it takes you to get basic tasks done. This will help you plan better. One of the biggest mistakes people make when preparing to go anywhere is they don’t keep moving until they are ready and out the door. Instead, they often get distracted and stop and do things either non-related to their goal of getting out the door or they spend far too long doing each task.

Two. Set your clock at least a half hour before you get out of bed each day.

There is the time you are fully awake and ready to get out of your bed and then there is the time it takes you to awake and get focused to get out of the bed. Allow at least thirty minutes or so to get your mindset right to awake before your get out of bed time. Turn on a light, sit up, let the alarm clock ring for a little bit, stretch, pray or do whatever you do to get ready to start your day. But avoid distractions that keep you in bed or you will most likely be late.

Three. Take your shower or bath the night before.

For those individuals who are often late, they refuse to change the little things like the long hot or cold shower or bath they prefer to do in the mornings because “it helps me wake up.” Until one has a better perspective on time, something as simple as a shower or bath time change might help you get out the door faster, so consider it.

Four. Wash and set hair nightly.

It takes time to prep hair in the mornings especially when it is long, so it is best to spend a little more tender loving care on one’s hair the night before rather a lot of time in the mornings.

Five. Arrange needed items at the door nightly.

From looking for a certain pair of shoes to going back into the home to grab a pair of sunglasses or car keys, some people fail to make space near a doorway for their needed items. If those things you believe you or your children may need are neatly placed near an entryway, you will be less likely to go back into the home searching for things.

Six. Organize lunch items the night before.

Some people will go without a lunch because they never permit time for themselves to make one. Imagine how much time and money you can save each day if you consider making lunches at home.

Seven. Pick out and iron clothes on weekends.

The time that you would typically be watching TV or surfing the Internet could be used to iron your clothes. Just think of the money and time you will save by not having clothes dry-cleaned and not worrying over trying to iron clothes in the mornings.

Eight. Pre-cook meals and arrange snacks in advance in case you will not be coming back home around dinner time.

There are those families that are often on the run and find themselves not only being late for events in the mornings, but evenings too because they had to go back home to eat or stop somewhere to eat. Since you are making a lunch, you might want to carry dinner along too.

Nine. Don’t talk on the phone, text, watch TV, or check email and surf the Internet when you are trying to get ready to leave out in the mornings.

Whatever issue that comes up is most likely one that you will have to deal with sooner or later, but you can’t do much if you are tied up in the bathroom, caring for children, or doing something else that needs your immediate attention. Allowing non-emergency distractions to hold you up will definitely make you late and cause you to forget to do certain things.

Ten. Prepare others in your household prior to the day you are leaving. This way they can do their part to help everyone leave on time.

Sometimes when you hold others accountable for their tasks, you will find that you gain more time to do things in the mornings. For example, instead of letting a child watch TV every morning, train him or her to wash and dress his or herself and get lunch together. This way all you have to do is just check in on him or her.

Eleven. If you drive, do things like: inspect your vehicle, clean it out, and get gas before the day you leave.

The little extra time you need in case of an accident or someone driving slowly in front of you can be easily eaten up if you have to stop to deal with a car issue.

Twelve. Collect and take garbage out before your departure time.

Having to do household tasks will also slow you down if you don’t prepare in advance. Remember the days of the week the trash truck comes around and allow for extra time on those days.

Sometimes consistent tardiness occurs due to things like: poor rest, diet, and stress. You might want to consider making needed changes to your lifestyle. Seek herbal supplements, vitamins, and similar things that might help you obtain a restful sleep and also energize you during the day. Research your condition, and if necessary, make a doctor’s appointment. Also, think about your environment, could it be playing a part on why you can’t leave on time? Cluttered living conditions, argumentative partners, unruly children, unreliable transportation, a bad or congested neighborhood, a property that has inadequate plumbing, electricity, etc. can contribute to a family’s consistent lateness.

After making adjustments to your lifestyle, you should have enough time to do things in the mornings like: eat a light breakfast, make your lunch, walk your home taking time to turn off lights and unplug items, put some things back in place, and more. You might also have additional time to spare to read, meditate, or exercise as well as handle any unexpected events that might come up.

Nicholl McGuire is the author of the following books:

Know Your Enemy: The Christian's Critic 
When Mothers Cry  
Laboring to Love Myself  
Laboring to Love an Abusive Mate  
Floral Beauty on a Dead End Street 
Spiritual Poems By Nicholl