I should know. As a young mom, I wasn't on time...ever. Over-tired, over-stressed,
and under organized, I had no idea how long it took to get ready and then to
actually get to where I was going—there were too many components to getting to…well,
anywhere.
I’m going out on a limb here to guess that I’m not alone. Oh, not that I
think it’s a very big club, but I know there are a few of us. See, I home schooled
my kids (and a few grand kids) for seventeen years. It drove me nuts every time
the workshop leader said, “Let’s give the stragglers another five minutes
before we begin.” She rewarded the latecomers (the same ones every time), giving
them no incentive for punctuality.
Long before my home school days, I learned that if I broke the getting-there
into its component parts and then counted down from the arrival time, maybe I
could save myself some embarrassment and some time. {A late arrival to some
appointments often meant a longer wait, or a reschedule.}
When I learned to count backward, my scrap paper looked something like
this:
Appointment at 10:00
Drive time…15 min (9:45)
Extra traffic? Better add a five-minute
cushion (9:40)
Get from the door to out of driveway…10
min (9:30)
Shower, dress myself… 15 min
(9:15)
Get Steve’s clothes out…5 min
(9:10)
Dress Amy…10 mins (9:00)
Bathe,
dress, nurse Nick …30 mins
(8:30)
I knew I’d better start getting ready no later than 8:30, and knowing me,
starting at 8:20 was wise.
What most folks take as natural logic, I had to develop a system for. Oh,
I was still late sometimes. Still am on occasion, but I’m usually on time, if not a little
bit early.
That said, even after 35 years, my best friend, Jane, still arrives for
our tea dates before me.
What gets you there on time?
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