Punctuality: Why am I always early?

Self-independence

Whether it’s a work meeting, seminar or a conference, you get stressed if your train is delayed or if you get stuck in a jam on your regular route. Just the thought of being late drives you nuts.

If this is you, you’ll find yourself very very early and having a lot of time to kill before your appointments.When the need to constantly arrive early becomes compulsive, there may something else triggering it according to behavioral coach and hypnotherapist David Lieberman.

For example, it could be that you’re constantly afraid of being left out of the loop for important information at work or concerned that others will start without you, and you hate asking anyone else for help.

On another’s clock

We’ve all had beastly lunches with the girls where someone or another is always late/ early. And this goes beyond simple manners, which causes unconscious feelings of inferiority in the early one, according to David Leiberman. Arriving early or on time for an event shows respect to others and reinforces a failing self esteem.

You could also read Pyscho Minute, by David J. Lieberman for more.

Practical work tips:

Don’t devalue time, by listing everything you have accomplished during the day with positive results. Even if it’s as small as getting your child ready in 1/2 an hour or making a risotto in 20 minutes.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help, whether it’s merely borrowing a CD, book or a document, or even asking your colleagues to pool money for a collective birthday gift, etc. You don’t have to do it all by yourself.

Don’t be afraid to be fashionably late. If this is a personal affair or a regular non-important work meeting, it is all right to be a little late. You can always ask a colleague or your friends to bring you up to speed.

Do optimise your time by reading, writing and working on things you need to instead of constantly ending up with too much time on your hands.

Isabelle Soing