How do you think about time?
Better than 10 minutes early than one minute late—Felice Cohen
Many times we are running from meeting to meeting and we push too many deliverables into a day. Could this scenario be occurring for you?
But what happens if you are someone like me who focuses on timeliness? Might the conclusion hold that it be better to be one minute late?
I was raised that if you weren’t fifteen minutes early then you were late. If not fifteen minutes early then I am racing and making sure that I am on time. When I am flying, well that is a different story altogether. I am incredibly early so that I am assured that I make it through the lines, get my water and I am safely settled in my seat at the gate.
So which scenario is effective?
Many days we pack in so many deliverables and meetings for the day but the schedule somehow works. Have you seen that person that almost has a Teflon shield and the lateness and scurrying to finish deliverables just bounces off them? From their perspective, the work gets accomplished but maybe the process of getting to the conclusion is a bit bumpier. They get more done, they tell me. So actually being one minute late might not be so bad and an optimal management solution. If that gives you more thinking time or the ability to accomplish something, why not?
Instead of focusing on time more energy could be slotted for creativity or accomplishing some additional work.
So the question I ask is, “Am I actually wasting time because I am early?” I believe in doing what works for you but am I really leveraging time as I should be?
It is important sometimes to sit back and think about has this been the most efficient way and use of time? When I look at everyone pushing back-to-back meetings. Might it be better to be one minute late? More can be accomplished during the day or the week.
While the consensus might be that it is ok to be one minute late, there are many good articles on time management efficiencies. Two of the most optimal time efficient tactics continue to be time blocking and the Steven Covey time management model.
What works for you? Is it time to be one minute late?
**Image courtesy of franky242 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net