Why is punctuality such an important time management skill for freelance writers? Simple — punctuality is a sign of someone who is organized and trustworthy.
If you want editors to give you freelance writing projects, or get people you care about to spend time with you, you must be on time.
If you cannot keep your word to be on time for a client meeting or to finish a freelance writing project by the deadline, how can you be trusted to do any important task either well or on time?
If you are often late, your career, your social life, and your family life will suffer.
On Time for What?
For everything, as much as possible:
- Freelance writing deadlines
- Business meetings
- All appointments with professionals
- Classes and workshops
- Recreation time with friends and family
- Meals, especially when someone is cooking for you
- Work, if you’re employed by someone besides yourself
- Work, if you work for yourself
What to Do if Punctuality is a Problem for You…
On a psychological level, think about how your lack of punctuality is hurting your career and your relationships with others; on the flip side, think about how your career and relationships with others will improve when you are regularly on time.
4 Ways to Be Punctual
#1. Don’t over-schedule yourself. Give yourself an extra cushion of time to finish a writing assignment, for example.
#2. Be clear on your priorities. Don’t let yourself be distracted by low-priority tasks that require you to later rush higher priority activities that result in tardiness for appointments and missed deadlines.
#3. Leave for appointments at least 10 minutes sooner than you think you need to.
#4. Related to number 3, give yourself plenty of time to get ready to leave for an appointment. Get totally ready and then spend the extra time doing activities that can be done in small chunks of time, such as answering e-mails or paying bills.
Be Wary of Working with Chronically Late People
Such people will slow down any project, and they can make you miss a deadline because they haven’t finished their part. The problems they create can hurt or kill a business venture.
Your Take
Are you usually on time? Why or why not? What problems have you had with people that are frequently late? Share your stories and suggestions.
I agree with you about the importance of punctuality, John. I tend to be excessively punctual. The good thing about that is that if something happens and I need to shift a deadline, my clients are understanding, because I usually deliver everything early. 🙂
The most successful writers usually are “excessively punctual.”
Sharon, I market myself as a writer who meets of beats deadlines. I’ve only been late a couple of times and for very good reasons.
Punctuality is a key reason I’ve had a reasonably successful writing career.
I appreciate this article-it is true that time is money and must be spent wisely.
When I was younger I was always very punctual. I still am most of the time, arriving earlier than I need to when meeting people and I’ve never missed a writing deadline, usually turning in early instead of on due date.
Now that I’m older I find I do run late sometimes when I’m meeting this one friend for lunch or dinner. 8 mile drive, I leave 20-25 minutes before meeting time, and I’m still late but this is more of a traffic problem in my area. Hit every red light! I get around it now by saying noonish.
Cheryl, I usually plan to be 10-15 minutes early for appointments. I take reading materials, like the newspaper or a book, so I can make good use of the extra time.
Or, if it’s a nice day, I’ll walk for a few minutes before the appointment.
This is something I’ve always had to work on my whole life, so it hits home. Honestly, it’s easier for me being punctual for my own business than it was back in my corporate days. (As horribly selfish as that sounds!) Then again, it seems like a lot of my projects in the past year were “urgent,” so I didn’t have much choice in the matter…
Sharon makes a good point, in that developing a good relationship and reputation for being on time gives you flexibility—but don’t request more time at the last second, or all the time. Your track record better be spotless. From a editor’s/client’s perspective, I can’t think of much worse than someone who abuses that trust on a first or second project.
I agree completely about the importance of having a long-term trusting relationship with an editor before asking for a deadline extension.
I often ask for a later due date when I’m initially negotiating the details of new project. Editors frequently mention an earlier date than the true date, just in case the writer is late.
A later due date allows me to take on another project.
Good point, Jake. It’s good to let editors be able to plan by giving early warning if you can.
I am always on time (and usually early). If I arrive to an appointment too early (because I was traveling to an unfamiliar location and allowed
extra time in case I got lost), I simply work on my laptop, smartphone or do some other kind of work.
I believe it’s disrespectful and a tad arrogant to be late. It sends the message that your time is more important than the other person’s. Sure, things happen that are unavoidable, but if you are known for your punctuality, your customer is more likely to overlook the exception to the rule.
Cathy, you are so right about tardiness being disrespectful, especially when it’s for an appointment at a specific time.
I’ve used lack of punctuality as the reason to not do business with people or companies.
I once knew someone who was purposely 10 minutes late for every appointment! He said it was because usually the other person was late, and he didn’t want to waste his time waiting for people.
Apparently it was okay for us to waste our time waiting for him though!
This situation can lead to a spiral of lateness. Since he’s 10 minutes late, everyone else shows up 10 minutes late. And then one day somebody is 15 minutes late and a new cycle begins.
I try very hard to avoid working with people like that!
John, I tend to be on time, and I was writing and meeting deadlines several years before I discovered many deadlines slip.
I now keep track of my time with https://www.toggl.com which is so easy I actually use it. I’ve discovered some surprises, like it really does take me more than 5 minutes to get dressed.
Good post as usual.
Anne, I always give myself 5-10 more minutes to get ready than I think I’ll really need. Often I actually need those extra minutes.
Punctuality is something that was bred into me. My mother’s early or on time. So is my sister, my dad, my brother…. we are a punctual people. I guess it’s ironic that my sister and I both married non-clock watchers. 😉
I have never been late on a deadline. Well, that’s not entirely true — I’ve never been late on a deadline that was attainable or had enough time to finish the job. For the one I couldn’t meet, I told them months out that their expectations were unrealistic. They knew long before it came that I wasn’t meeting that deadline, and they were okay with it.
Problems with late-comers: A few from my senior editor days were given deadlines that corresponded with their lateness. You could start to see the patterns: Dave was always two days late, Leo was a week late, etc. I simply expected things in earlier from them, not telling them the true deadline. Kept me from pulling out my hair. 🙂
Had a client who was a serial late-comer. She simply didn’t show up — several times. She’d make these conference call appointments, send me dial-in numbers and calendar invites. After she missed three in a row, I simply kept working and left the musack play on speaker. In total, she missed well over 12 phone calls. It got to a point where I’d wait 5 minutes instead of 15 or 20, then I’d hang up. She never apologized and never remembered unless I reminded her.
That one ended badly, but that’s another story. 🙂
Lori, your experience as an editor is, I think, a common one. It’s likely most editors give a due date that’s earlier than the actual due date. That’s why I always ask what the true due date is!
I am usually a very early person, like the first one to show up even before the doors are opened, but recently, I was late for something (it happens, I thought the address was 1000, but it was 100). I felt miserable, and because it was my first time meeting these people, they were polite, but I can tell that they had been complaining before I got there, and had totally written me off.
That just goes to show, no matter what you’ve done in the past, it’s what you do today that matters. I HATE being late.
Bummer about your meeting Sarah. Such things do eventually happen to all of us, especially when we are traveling to some place we haven’t been before.
That’s why it’s a good idea to leave much earlier, just in case…
Couldn’t agree more. Being punctual and managing your time wisely is definitely essential, no matter what line of business you’re in.
Thanks.