I’m notorious for being late, and have even received awards for it. However, once I realized that being tardy can make or break a reputation, I had to clean up my act.

If you’re anything like me, you might set 5 alarms or start getting ready two hours before, and still manage to be 5 minutes late. Giving yourself extra time can be a blessing and a curse. Sometimes, you think you are ahead of the game, but you’re actually slowing yourself down. This is called being a tidsoptimist: a person who is always late because they believe they have more time than they do. So, how can you make a plan to arrive on time?

1. Start timing your morning routine.

For eighteen days, I used a stopwatch to calculate how long it actually took me to get ready without rushing. By doing this, I found out that I typically need to be awake 2 hours before leaving my house. If I have to be somewhere by 8 am, I wake up at 5:30 a.m. to be dressed and out the door by 7:30 a.m. Now that I set alarms at my appropriate time, the habit of waking up has become natural.

2. Leave extra time between activities.

If you’re fortunate enough to give yourself time to reset before your class, meeting, or activity, then do it. I try to give myself about an hour in between each class. I know my personal clock moves slow, and rushing stresses me out. If you’re someone who hates waiting, embrace the extra time to complete as many tasks as possible so you’ll have less to do later.

3. The four S’s.

Lastly, create a nightly routine to better yourself for the next morning. My routine includes the 4 S’s: supper, shower, setup, and sleep. Supper for me normally happens between 7 and 8 p.m. Then, I take a shower and do my skincare routine. The setup includes laying out clothes for the next day, checking my emails, setting alarms, and making the next day’s to-do list. Finally, it’s time for sleep.

These tips helped me overcome my personal insecurity of being a “late bird,” and I hope they can help you too.

Be Well, Auburn.