Punctuality comes late.

It is okay to make someone wait for you; it isn’t so for a group of 36. It is okay to make people wait for 5 minutes; it isn’t so for half an hour. It is okay to be late for a casual meeting; it isn’t so if there is an appointment to keep to. Some people just do not understand the situation they are in – they remain oblivious to the fact that there is a large group of people who have waited for them for some time for a dinner reservation.

What’s wrong?

No, there isn’t anything wrong with meeting late because you are stuck in a genuine situation. But apparently, there are people who choose to take their own sweet time to shower, after choosing to take a nap shortly before the arranged move-out time. That just isn’t right.

A super-contagious bad habit.

Yes, it definitely is a bad habit to not keep to timing. And this habit is always reinforced with extra practice – often to a point of perfection. It is almost impossible to find in a group a high percentage of punctual people. And often you find that once someone has been late a few times, they tend to be late more frequently in the future. Also, having a late-comer in the group encourages the entire group to give in to the “He’ll be late anyway” mentality – the spark that lands in the pool of fuel.

Unpunctuality comes (too) early; punctuality comes (too) late.

People learn very early and easily to become late-comers, but rarely see the importance of being punctual – unless drastic action is taken against them. It usually takes a few reminders before a frequent late-comer makes it a point to be slightly on time. Slightly.

Punctuality: a virtue, a matter of attitude.

Keeping yourself punctual isn’t at all difficult. It’s simply self-discipline, just like taking a shower when you need one or washing the cups after you’re done with them. It does not require you to go anywhere out of the way, but to simply do what you need to do. Yet, some people have this impression that punctuality is a bonus of sorts. I believe it should be a default characteristic wired in everyone’s mind, not something extra or special – rather, a lack of it is indeed a huge no-no. If you have never been early, try it once. Make it a point to turn up 10 minutes earlier and see the difference, You’d be able to experience the pains of waiting for someone, as well as the joys of being early. (Yeah, right.)

Just five minutes.

If you find yourself in a position where people wait for you more than you do for them, it’s time to take action. But no, not any form of drastic action. Just a simple step to make things a lot better for everyone: plan for your bad habits. If you usually end up late by 10 minutes, factor it into your plans. For example: You know you are meeting at 3pm at a certain place and you need 20 minutes to travel plus 20 minutes to shower and get ready, you drag yourself into the shower at 2.10pm. But do so by telling yourself you need 25 min to travel and 25 min to shower. Do not make it sound as if you are giving yourself time to procrastinate, because you’d most likely abuse that arrangement you made. Start early, so that if you take things slowly, you would still be on time – or better, early.

Everyone should just make it a point to leave on time and stop thinking that the person who has waited for you once will do so for the rest of his life. You know it sucks to have to wander around aimlessly wile waiting for someone else, so don’t do that to your dearest friends. And if you happen to be meeting me, bear this in mind: Time’s running out, just like my patience.