These 3 tricks keep me unstressed and on time for every appointment
I used to feel like I was always running behind and running late
My tardiness created stress. It robbed precious time from important meetings. And it damaged my ability to maintain respect.
Being on time is relaxing! And it helps you gain respect
In business and life, respect is valuable because it helps you open doors and influence people.
Three simple tweaks changed my life
I hope these help you as they’ve helped me!!
#1: On your private calendar, schedule meetings to start when you need to leave for the appointment
By scheduling travel time, you will never leave too late for your next appointment.
You’ll know exactly when you need to END your first appointment so that you can make your second appointment on time.
For example, if it takes 30 minutes to get to a 10:00 AM appointment, enter the appointment for 9:30.
Bonus tip: For unpredictable appointments — like Doctor’s appointments — schedule extra time. Assume the appointment will go over time. I add 30 minutes to one hour for most Doctor’s appointments.
Once travel time is on your calendar, you’ll rarely schedule two appointments too close together.
#2: Get a good calendar alarm for your smartphone
For whatever reason, most smartphones remind you of an appointment with a tiny ding or tinkling sound.
That little ding is EASY TO MISS! 😬 You can sneeze and miss it! What more if you run to the bathroom and forget to take your phone with you!
To fix this, I installed a good calendar alarm on my smartphone.
I have Android, so I use Calendar Alarm Pro. But I’m sure there are good options for iOS as well.
The app I use automatically sets an alert for EVERY meeting on my calendar.
And, like a standard alarm, the appointment alarm keeps ringing until I hit snooze or turn it off.
This app has been a game-changer.
5 or 10 minutes before my appointments start, the alarm goes off.
Even if I’m absorbed in something else, the alarm snaps me back to reality. And I’m on time for my appointments.
#3: Put critical appointments on your work calendar AND personal calendar
Sometimes we forget we have a personal life AND a work-life.
Letting your personal and work calendars get out of sync can lead to frustrating conflicts.
Bonus tip: Share a personal calendar with your significant other so that he/she can schedule appointments without consulting you. This is also a time saver.
Also, if your device can show multiple calendars in a single view, use this feature.
Below is a quote from an article entitled, “20 Ways to Create More Time.”
Don’t risk missing an appointment because it is only in your other calendar. If you have a calendar in your computer and another in a handheld device, see if you can synchronize the two. (Source: “20 Ways to Create More Time”, https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102010124)
With these three changes, I’m rarely late, I’m relaxed, I’m not overbooked, and I’m more productive!
These changes helped me boost my productivity, get greater respect, and be more successful!
I hope these suggestions do the same for you!
