Tony Williamson

Last week I made the point that the 1440 Club is the club of time. There are 1,440 minutes in a day - no more, no less. The paradox of time is that most people say they don't have enough time, but everyone has all there is - 86,400 seconds in a day.

Some people learn to manage time. Others allow time to manage them. There are some in the second category who are indifferent to the consequences of their failure to manage time. These persons end up wasting time, being less efficient, losing money - for time is money.

To manage time is to manage yourself. To manage yourself means for many, a change in mindset, the adoption of a new philosophy. How do you change your mindset?

The first thing to do is to see yourself as a whole person, a person of integrity. When we use the word 'integrity', we usually equate it with honesty. It does involve honesty, but the word has a far broader meaning. The word integrity comes from the Latin integritas, which means wholeness, soundness. Wholeness speaks to the balance of systems making up the person, all of which fit together tomake the complete individual. A motor car has integrity of structure when all of its parts fit together to create a smooth, rattle-free ride.

A person of integrity is trustworthy, level-headed, reliable. He or she is predictable - not a loose cannon on deck. If a person of integrity gives you his word, his word can be relied upon. How does this relate to time? Here's how: If you tell me you will meet me at 8:30 a.m., then if you are a person of integrity you have given me your word. You will keep your appointment barring circumstances over which you have no control, because you gave me your word. For the person of integrity, his word is his bond.

RESPECT FOR OTHERS

You will not lightly be late for an appointment if your thought pattern (mindset) allows you to respect the time of the other person. For inherent in chronic lateness is a lack of respect for the time of the other person or persons with whom you had an appointment. Is it that they have nothing to do with their time than to wait upon me? Who am I anyway that I should inconvenience another? And what about the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do to you? If the roles were reversed, would you like to be wasting your time, waiting on someone who told you he/she would meet you at 6:30 p.m., only to have that person saunter in at 7:30?

GOING FORWARD

The first step in moving from chronic lateness to proper time management is to make a decision. Nothing happens until a decision is made, and a decision not to decide is to decide not to. Decisions we make in our lives are responsible for where life takes us. You do not need to have the cacophony of thunder and lightning to change your mindset. All you need is a quiet resolve, a decision to be on time for all of your engagements. After you have dealt with the mindset, the philosophical position, consider these practical tips for managing time.

PUNCTUALITY

The big problem with Jamaicans is punctuality. In order to conquer lateness, having had it as a chronic problem, here is what you can do:

1. Be conscious of time. Most people wear a wristwatch. Check the time periodically.

2. Leave your location earlier. If you are going to an appointment, leave earlier than you are used to. If you live in Constant Spring and you have an appointment downtown, leave early enough to cover the vagaries of traffic. Give yourself a margin of safety, in case you encounter an unexpected delay.

3. Call ahead. If you realise you will arrive late for an appointment with someone, call ahead (or have someone call on your behalf) to indicate that you are running late. This one step alone indicates respect for others and people can adjust their schedule to fit your new arrival time.

4. Evaluate your performance. Do you remember DOME diagnosis, objectives, methods, aluation? The 'E' in DME is for valuation. After a month of your new mindset, pause to assess how successful you are at arriving on time (incidentally, a DME plan is an excellent tool to correct chronic lateness).

5. Avoid 'cusitis'. Do not fall into the very common trap of making cuss for your lateness. My wife took too long to dress, the car would not start, and so on. Take responsibility for your actions instead of shifting the blame to traffic. Traffic is not the problem, you are. Traffic cannot change, you certainly can!