Close

7 common habits of very punctual people

habits of very punctual people

A study by researchers at San Francisco State University once found that 20% of Americans are chronically late — and, according to recent surveys, it’s something that is increasingly common among the younger generation

It’s not necessarily that the chronically late don’t respect other people’s time, though. Diane DeLonzor, the lead researcher for the San Francisco study, says: “Repetitive lateness is more often related to personality characteristics such as anxiety or a penchant for thrill-seeking. Some people are drawn to the adrenaline rush of that last-minute sprint to the finish line, while others receive an ego boost from over-scheduling and filling each moment with activity.”

While your friends and family may be forgiving of your perpetual lateness, in the professional world punctuality matters. That’s especially true in the legal profession, where clients expect a prompt response and the courts, for example, run to strict timetables.

So, what can you learn from those who have got punctuality nailed down? Here are seven traits people who are nearly always on time share:

Want to learn the secrets of productivity and time management? Download your copy of our free ebook >>

#1 They’re realistic about how long things take

For Professor DeLonzar, the first step to being more punctual is to “re-learn how to tell time.” That’s because late people tend to underestimate the time their activities take by around 25%. To start realistically estimating how long things will take, start by recording in a journal the number of minutes you spend on your routine tasks — getting ready in the morning, travelling to work, checking email, filing documents, etc. Do this for all of the tasks you repeat on a regular basis. Gradually, you’ll start to appreciate the actual time tasks will take to complete.

#2 They build in “buffer” time

Stop trying to be exactly on time. Instead, plan to get to your appointments a little ahead of time. Say you need to get to court for 11 a.m. You could assume that it will take you 12 minutes to get there and leave at 10:48. Or, you could realistically build in additional time for traffic, metro delays, or an unavoidable dash back to the office to collect a file you forgot. Punctual people don’t chance it.

#3 They embrace waiting

Of course, building in all this extra “buffer” time means that, quite often, punctual people arrive first and find themselves waiting. If this prospect freaks you out, plan on an activity to do while you’re waiting. For example, you could take a book, review your emails, or go over your schedule for the rest of the week, for example.

#4 They organize

There’s more to leading a punctual lifestyle than just showing up on time. The most punctual people are also among the most organized. They tend to keep their calendars up to date, avoid scheduling too many adjacent meetings, build in travel time, and consciously plan out their day for maximum efficiency (e.g. avoiding moving back and forth for meetings by trying to co-schedule appointments that need to be in the same location).  

#5 They set up multiple reminders and alarms

Ever had someone arrive 15 minutes late for a meeting and heard the “I totally forgot this was happening today!” excuse? The most punctual people take steps to ensure that no appointment is missed. They set multiple reminders, alerts, and notifications to make sure that they’re reminded of what they’ve got coming up.

Calendar reminders

#6 They set an agenda, and stick to it

What’s the number one reason for lateness in the workplace? Meetings that overrun. Sometimes that’s unavoidable, but only rarely. Most meetings can be kept on time by creating an agenda beforehand and sticking to it. The best clearly describe and allot a time frame for each item. Skipping an agenda item to keep to time is okay; adding to it during the meeting is not.

#7 They’re not afraid to cut people off

Of course, if you’re going to set time limits on meetings and discussions then you have to be comfortable cutting people off. If an appointment is overrunning and threatening to make you late for your next meeting, then end the conversation and finish in a new time slot either over the phone, by email, or as a last resort, by scheduling a new time to meet face-to-face.


What are your punctuality tips? How do you keep your work day on track? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

One Legal: Delightfully easy eFiling

One Legal Dashboard
Manage all your California and Nevada court filing from a single platform. Receive status updates and court-returned documents online while we handle all the logistics of getting your documents filed. Find out more about eFiling with One Legal now.
Contents
    Add a header to begin generating the table of contents

    More to explore

    What is One Legal?

    We’re California’s leading litigation services platform, offering eFiling, process serving, and courtesy copy delivery in all 58 California counties. Our simple, dependable platform is trusted by over 20,000 law firms to file and serve over a million cases each year.

    One Legal Dashboard

    Join us at Legal Up, April 24-25, 2024! Dive into the world of litigation innovation with top speakers and like-minded legal pros.