As a coach, I work with individuals who want to improve their performance at work. One of the common things I hear them say is that they struggle with time management. It’s probably not even what you are thinking. They struggle with being on time for work. Being late for work impacts your productivity and could potentially get you fired.
If you are struggling with being on time for work, here are a few things you can try to take control of your day.
Lay your clothes out the night before. You can save a lot of time by organizing your outfit the night before. Lay out all your clothes, from your shirt to your socks to your shoes, everything. You won’t have to worry about finding your belt or the other shoe. It’s all there ready to go.
Have A Nightly Routine. You often hear about the need to have a morning routine but you also need to establish a nighttime routine. You have laid your clothes out and they are all ready to go. What about everything else? Is your briefcase or backpack ready to go? Do you know where your keys are and have you placed them where you can see them? Spend time before you go to bed, organizing things you will need to take with you. Also, prepare and lay out what you will need for things you commonly do in the morning. For example, if you make a cup of coffee every morning, have a filter in the coffee pot and a clean cup ready. Having everything strategically placed is another way to save time in the morning.
Get Enough Sleep. There are so many great shows on Netflix and Hulu, it’s easy to find yourself binge-watching your favorite program. Next thing you know, hours have gone by and it’s 1 AM. Or maybe you check your Facebook feed just before you go to bed and lose track of time. Both of these activities can cause you to have a restless night. When you actually lie down to go to bed, your mind is still energized from the program you were watching. Ultimately, you are not getting enough quality sleep.
Spend time observing and tracking your habits, behaviors and sleep patterns to see what type of sleep you are getting. Once you have established a pattern, see where you can make adjustments. It may be as simple as powering down devices such as your TV, laptop, or cell phone, one hour before going to bed. This will give your mind and body time to wind down and relax before bed.
Don’t check email or social media before you leave. Just like it kept you up most of the night, checking your email and social media before work can distract you. You will find yourself rushing out the door and end up late for work again. Wait until you are settled in at work to check your email. Be sure to follow company policies for checking personal email and social media during working hours.
Keep It Moving. Be careful of parking lot conversations. Being in the parking lot or in the building doesn’t count for being on time for work. How many times have you been stopped in a parking a lot and what was meant to be a quick hello, turned into a 30-minute conversation? You can always be polite and let them know you have to get your desk or office and you can meet for lunch or during your break time.
If you are consistently late for work, it can cost you the promotion you want, even your job. These strategies are just a few practices you can put in place that will help you be on time for work. If you find yourself still struggling, please send me an email at cowens@infinitycoaching.net . We can schedule a time to develop a plan specifically for you. Don’t let time management stand in the way of your career goals. Control your time so it doesn’t control you.
Carolyn R. Owens has over 25 years of proven experience and serves as a Career Strategist, Executive and Leadership Coach. She is the President of Infinity Coaching, Inc. where she can help you up-level your skills, so you can up-level your income, career, business or life. Infinity Coaching, Inc. provides one-on-one and group coaching, organizational training, personality assessments, and a signature program, the Infinity Coaching Inner Circle. Carolyn is certified to give both The Energy Leadership Index Assessment and Myers Briggs Type Indicator Assessment. You can find out more about both assessments and other products and services at https://infinitycoaching.net.
