how to juggle a busy schedule
Carlos Restrepo
– Editor in Chief –
Most students go through school while waging wars against time. Traffic, breakfast, a long shower, little sleep, or an alarm that didn’t work can be some of the obstacles that entrap students in a race through time, which, if lost, can bring severe consequences.
Being on time, however, is much more than a battle or a race. Being on time can help a student earn the respect of a peer, a professor or a manager.
In a recent article for St. Louis Women’s Magazine, Diana DeLonzor, author of “Never Be Late Again: 7 Cures for the Punctually Challenged?” explains that being late exposes others to a selfish side.
According to DeLonzor, if a person is late, it leads others to think that the person:
– Is self-centered and thinks their time is more important.
– Does not respect others.
– Is passive-aggressive and likes to control others.
– Likes the attention received with a late entrance.
“In the workplace, tardiness can sabotage success. Managers see chronically late employees as undisciplined and lacking enthusiasm,” DeLonzor says in the article. “Fellow employees become resentful, wondering why they knock themselves out to arrive on time.”
Most people, however, cannot avoid lateness. DeLonzor says the main root of this problem is trying to fit more into our day than what we can actually do.
In the St. Louis Women’s Magazine article, DeLonzor spells out problems and solutions for effective time management:
Problem: Trying to fit in too much. Sometimes we think that “if we hurry, we will be able to make it,” and we end up setting unrealistic goals.
Solution: Don’t be overly optimistic and recognize that some things can’t get done at that time. In daily chores, always allow more time in between. For example, if it takes 20 minutes to do the dishes, set aside 30 for that task.
Problem: Chaos is a comfort zone. Sometimes we leave work for last minute because we feel more creative under pressure and chaos. Oftentimes we deliberately wait until the last minute to perform a task because that way we are forced to do it. Pushing the next tasks until the last minute will create a chain reaction which will push the tasks planned until the last minute over and over again. Chaos creates chaos.
Solution: Pay attention to when and how a chaotic situation occurs.
Simply, stop relying on chaos to run life for you.
Keep track of any emotions, thoughts and actions. “Before putting things off, were you bored, anxious or lethargic? If so, did creating a crisis relieve those feelings?” DeLonzor asks. “Did [the tension] wake you up or help you get motivated?” It is important to learn to motivate ourselves before we are in a situation of pressure and chaos. A good way to do this is to set little daily challenges. For example, “Can I finish my homework 10 minutes before I expected it?” Problem: Being late makes you a rebel. By being late, some people assume they are in control by making other wait for them. Some may feel that they are outsiders and they “live in a different time zone.” However, what the chronically late person may see as powerful and radical, most other people would see it as disrespectful and rude.
Solution: Find control and respect in the right place. There are more accurate ways to seek power, respect and control than being late, like leading by example and determination. “Instead of attempting to gain control by resisting other people’s rules or expectations, try finding ways to gain power and a sense of specialness within yourself,” DeLonzor says.
Note: Being late is a habit, not a disease. The person with the habit is in control to get rid of it with patience and the will to succeed.
