An extremely important habit that we must develop is punctuality. It shows that we have given importance to the supreme role time plays in our lives. A person who realizes that every breath from God and every second of his life is an opportunity to contribute to his self-improvement and to the improvement of his society is someone worthy of being followed.
We give our word to people, set targets for ourselves, are required to meet deadlines, make commitments that are time-barred, promise to arrive somewhere at a certain time – all these require due diligence and vigilance.
Punctuality is a trend that must be followed by those in responsible positions or in authority because it is they who set the trends in our society. Our rulers and public officials must be on time. In fact, any undue slackness in this should not be tolerated. Teachers must make it a point to train and instruct their students in punctuality by setting an example before them. Parents should play this role at home.
One of the greatest benefits of punctuality is multi-tasking. We can handle several or at least a couple of tasks at the same time without sacrificing efficiency. This is a great plus for people who are managing other people. It accounts for a professional approach and makes us credible in the eyes of others. It keeps us ahead of our work and we always have extra-time at our disposal. At the same time, it shows that we value other people’s time and commitments.
Many a time, weather, calamities, ailments and other impediments threaten to disrupt our punctuality. We must try our best to live up to our word in all these circumstances. We should be prepared in advance to tackle any such unforeseen circumstances and unanticipated delays. Any laziness and indifference in this regard will be disastrous for our own selves and for our own reputation.
All said and done, if for some genuine reason we are not able to show punctuality, then we must make amends. We must not only apologize to the aggrieved person but also make up any loss it may have produced.
___________