Man, what I wouldn't give to be early to work every day. Sometimes, I'm a few minutes early, most of the time I'm just barely on time, and more often then not, I'm a few minutes late. Like 2 or 3 minutes. On the rare occasion, I'll be 10 or 15 minutes late.
I hate being late to work. I don't like the feeling of rushing beforehand, and I don't like the feeling of arriving after I'm supposed to. I don't like cutting into the meeting in the morning or waiting out in the hallway until it is done. I don't think being late helps people to trust me, and I don't think it's very healthy to be rushing all the time.
So, why would I continue doing this if all these reasons tell me l shouldn't? Well, I haven't, until this point, looked very deeply into changing this habit. Don't get me wrong, I've tried different methods to be on time, but none of them have worked for longer than about two or three weeks, when I eventually drift back to being late every so often.
Among the things I've tried: setting my clocks fast, planning to the minute when I have to leave to get there on time, laying my clothes out and making breakfast the night before, showering in the morning, showering at night, among other things. Last year, from March til July, I actually kept a journal to record my timeliness to work. Somehow, it didn't help me so much to be writing down "4/24 -- late".
I'm tired of it all! I want to put an end to it.
Therefore, starting Monday, March 26th, I will be 10 minutes early for work. I will go into the building, relaxedly, and enthusiatically say "Good morning!" to my coworkers, make myself a cup of green tea, and sit down at my desk.
I will start on Monday, and I will continue in that way every day of next week. I will also do this the following week. I will continue the same pattern 'ten-minutes early, good morning!, tea, sit down' for thirty straight work days.
If I play my cards right after thirty days, I will be free, and the world will have one less latecomer to deal with!
If you often find yourself late for work or some other daily event, please join me on Monday and start your own "quest for timeliness." Do it publically or privately -- we can challenge ourselves to grow together.
I'll log my progress here. I'll also tell you what changes I make to my morning routine.
I'll start off by setting an alarm to go off at the time I am to leave the house to be 10 minutes early to work. Other than that, I haven't decided to change any other routine yet. I'll start Monday so that I really have time to get ready and focused beforehand.
On your marks...
I tell of my day-to-day experiences in a funky Japanese town from my American viewpoint. This blog could also be called 'Bizarro World', 'Notes From Kyushu, a Smaller Island', or 'Teaching English in Japan: Smash Your Ego in 10 Easy Lessons."
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
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2 comments:
I understand where you are coming from jet. I hate being late for anything but I also don't like being to early. I feel there is a small window of time in there somewhere allowing us as human to blend into the moment and get comfortable and ready. I know that probably didn't make too much sense but it has always worked for me. So to make a lot of nonsense make due then I agree and I will try your program. I believe I will be starting a new job on Monday(I hope!!!).
Good Luck and here's lookin' out...
Later...
Blu~
Do they have LFWA (Late For Work Anonymous) in Japan? :-)
I had the same issue a while back. I was never late but only coming in "just in time". I hated that. What I did was just set the alarm 10 minutes early and continue my morning routine as normal. A lot of the getting up earlier and leaving home earlier has a lot to do with winter. Traffic is slower so have to leave earlier to get to work. It usually takes me 1/2 hour to get to work. Plus, now that they opened up a new section of the ring road around the city my travel time has not improved, the it is more consistent.
Lately I have been arriving 20 to 25 minutes early to work. I turn on the lights and start the coffee pot. You know what? I don't mind. I have a stressful enough job that I don't like to stress myself to get to work on time. Another motivator is that there are only so many parking spots that if you don't get there on time, you are parking out on the street somewhere.
Good luck on getting to work on time!!
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