Punctuality

It is 8 pm, sweetie. I am parked outside. That is what I used to text my daughter whenever I went to pick her up from a friend’s house after, say, a birthday party.

Let me be honest here. Punctuality was not one of my highest priorities until one day, my tardiness lay bare my disregard for others who had organized a party for me, and I had kept them waiting. Of course, no one said anything pointing to my delay, but it did not take a lot to realize that they were not happy by me making them wait.

It would not have been wise for me to lecture my family, or just anyone, about punctuality if I was not punctual myself. But, unfortunately, it took several years of commitment before the people around me realized that I was serious about being punctual.

The habit of being punctual has spawned several positive repercussions.
First, the people around me now take my word more seriously. So, for example, when I say 9 am as the time for something, they know it would be 9 am and not 9:01 am. But it doesn’t stop with being just about time. I have the feeling that I am considered as someone reliable, as someone whose words are meaningful.

The habit of being punctual has boosted my self-confidence as well. It has helped develop the confidence that I can finish a task at hand on time. I have noticed how time keeping track has forced me to focus harder on the task at hand.

Interestingly, punctuality has also often put me at taking unnecessary risks. For example, to catch my train downtown every morning at 7:17 am, I time my drive from home such that I am at the station just when the train is arriving. An extra stop at the red light on the way is enough to perk up the stress early morning. And that is not a good thing.