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Being on time is important in many places

paloftoon

paloftoon

Well-Known Member
V.I.P Member
I have been struggling to get to work on time lately.
I have been getting up early enough probably 97-99% of the time. So that is not the problem anymore.
I have sleep issues.
I tend to fuss around with wanting to watch one episode or half of a fun episode on a DVD so that I can eventually finish the 50 episodes on the DVD and give it to my friend because she wants the DVD. There is no pressure to give her the DVD at all. I want to because I have some clutter in my place.
I also tend to have an issue keeping food for (almost) too long.
I was too tired the night before to try to remember and/or actually cook some food that was about to spoil. So, I did it this morning. Then, I had a decent meal. But then, I ended up being 10 min. late to work. I can decide not to eat until after I arrive to work and bring my medicine and a bathroom kit to brush teeth at work if necessary. I guess I need to do these things if I am stretched and having a hard time balancing, cause it's not good to be late.

I'm frustrated. I don't want to change my schedule or lose this job. I know I am capable of doing what I am doing here. I'm sad. A few friends are wishing me the best. One of my friends (yes, he is a friend, just overly cold at times) is telling me I will get what I deserve. I told him I need to and can do better, and him telling me that bluntly like that is not helping.
 
It's not easy, but you've got to adjust your schedule. Set an alarm for 10 - 15 mins before time you need to leave for work to be on time, then you will have to time to put away what you're doing. Food - you got a crock pot? You can throw it in the crock pot and leave for work. Not many bosses are tolerant of employees being late. I do hope you can work it out.
 
Find something fast and easy for breakfast and get it out the night before. If you are going to have cereal, get out the bowl, the spoon and the box of cereal and put it on the counter. Same place every night so that it becomes a routine.
If you are running late in the morning for some reason, then you don’t get breakfast. Keep some granola bars in your car or back pack.
Time how long the travel time is from your place to work then add 10 minutes or more. This is your Have To Leave Time.
You can do it but you have to make getting to work on time more important than watching movies or eating.
 
I think you have too many activities in the morning. It might benefit you to limit your routine to getting cleaned up, dressed, fed, and out the door. I know I would lose all focus if I watched a movie and debated dinner options at that time of day. Save the entertainment for the evening when you can relax and enjoy it. That same peaceful evening time is perfect for making grocery decisions and cooking. Routines take care of themselves.
 
Oh, I thought the movies WERE at night! Oh yeah, I can’t watch or start watching a movie before going to work. I’d never be able to tear myself away!
Good catch there Peter Morrison.
 
I have similar issues. I wake up two and a half hours before the time I need to be there and that usually gives me just enough time to be consistently early and when things don't go as smoothly, on time instead of late.
 
The anime episodes, I would do just in the evening more and it used to be that way. But then many evenings and weekends, other things come out. I just have to accept the fact that I can't do everything at once and have to prioritize.

I could bring my personal laptop (no internal DVD), external DVD drive, and then watch what I want to during my lunch break, but that is too much to carry for a 10 min walk back and forth when I already have my work bag to carry back and forth daily in case I have to work remotely last minute due to weather or such.
 
paloftoon said:
The anime episodes, I would do just in the evening more and it used to be that way. But then many evenings and weekends, other things come out. I just have to accept the fact that I can't do everything at once and have to prioritize.

I could bring my personal laptop (no internal DVD), external DVD drive, and then watch what I want to during my lunch break, but that is too much to carry for a 10 min walk back and forth when I already have my work bag to carry back and forth daily in case I have to work remotely last minute due to weather or such.
Click to expand...
It would also make you late getting back from lunch.
 
I second everything Peter Morrison said. When I wake up for work, I just get dressed, eat something simple, and go. It would be too much, too early in the morning, to do more than that. Don't expect too much of yourself. Believe me, no one else at work is getting up and doing anything other than eat before work, if that. Most of my coworkers have told me they don't even eat breakfast.

Don't expect to be productive before clocking in for work. It's just not a thing.
 
I eat breakfast even though I didn't want to in the past. Even if it's only a little. I can eat it after I get to work if I am not sure if I have enough time while getting ready. I feel better when I get a few things done because I know I can. So, in the morning, I got up a bit earlier than expected, did only a little of what I wanted to do, then had to go and got to work 24 minutes early today. I also signed on to an online meeting 4.5 hours early so that all I have to do is show up to the computer if I have to go to the bathroom last minute or something.

It's good for me to have breakfast because I need to take medicine afterward.
 
I used to be out of bed at 7.40am in work at 8am. 5 mile drive.

I ate breakfast at work after I clocked in.

A nice breakfast while you're being paid is extra nice. :)
 
I used to be out of bed at 7.40am in work at 8am. 5 mile drive.

I ate breakfast at work after I clocked in.

A nice breakfast while you're being paid is extra nice. :)
 
What l do now is give myself a deadline that l have to be walking to my car. My commute time can vary due to things like crossing over a boating bridge, seasonal traffic. So l make simple choices as far as clothes, hair, food. Plus l want to arrive relaxed not stressed out, it's a later job also.
 
I used to get up at 7:20 after the gf at the time and her kids would leave and be done with the bathroom, get ready quickly, and arrive at work almost exactly on time. And stressed all the way that I'd be late because of traffic, stopping for deer, bad weather, etc. But now I'm alone I can get up at 7, leisurely get ready, and make sure I get there early. It's better because the parking at work is a situation of musical chairs. More employees than parking spots. I don't want to be one of the last few there and have to park somewhere else and walk a long ways, especially in the bad weather that would have caused me to be late. I can also check my messages before work starts at 8 since I get there a little early.

One thing about being late at work, it may not seem like a huge deal right away. But when it came time for the yearly review/raise, they had been keeping track of every time I was late and used it against me. I wouldn't want that to happen to you.

Losing your job isn't something you deserve. You should make adjustments in your life to keep the job, because it would likely cause you a lot of problems to lose it. You can watch the DVDs in the evening, or pack your breakfast/lunch before you go to bed, things like that. I don't do anything like that in the morning, because I'd lose track of time, and probably end up forgetting something important.
 
Having a healthy attitude about responsibility is really what it gets down to. You want to pay your bills, you do what is expected to keep your job. This includes showing up on time as a requirement. l might be running late but l will inform my manager and also check with the person l relieve. You do what you gotta do despite what you think about it.
 
One advantage of working at home as I do is no commute, and less time pressure in the mornings. But if I do have to get up early for any reason, I cope by being prepared: I have two alarm clocks, one is a back-up in case the other one fails or doesn't wake me up. I make sure that everything is ready and planned to the last detail the night before: packed bag, papers, keys, tickets, passport or whatever else I need, money ready and in pocket. I don't bother with breakfast, but do allow coffee time because it can take me a while to wake up fully and I need transition time.

I often don't sleep well beforehand because I'm so worried that I won't wake up and that my alarm will fail to wake me in time.
 
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