Some people are always early or "on the dot," while others are late for everything. Usually, it's by an infuriating five, 10 or 15 minutes – not so late that they miss the appointment entirely, but late enough to irritate anyone who's been left waiting.

The fact is, people who consistently arrive late appear not only disorganized and unreliable but also rude and inconsiderate.

An individual like this can be a frustrating presence at work. We've likely all worked with someone who was late to everything – rushing, or worse, breezing in with a coffee cup and sandwich that they clearly stopped for while you were drumming your fingers. Perhaps not showing up at all, or forever missing things and never giving the impression that they actually care.

If you're like that, it could mean saying goodbye to that promotion... or worse! In general, managers expect employees to be on time every day, and many have fired someone for repeated lateness. In most industries, punctuality is important for the sake of operational efficiency. All of those "five minutes" add up and cost a company money.

Ask Yourself: "Why Am I Late?"

Lateness has many causes: traffic, oversleeping, bad weather, and procrastination. But there could be more to it.

Are you a dreamer who thinks that getting from the point you wake up to the point you leave for work takes five minutes? Or did you just forget, and it's a case of self-discipline? And then there's always the temptation to do "just one more thing" before you leave.

Or perhaps you’re a crisis-maker who loves the thrill of being rushed and needs to learn to act, not react? Maybe it's down to a more serious underlying problem that needs addressing, such as anxiety or depression.

Break Your Bad Habits

It’s time to identify and tackle the cause of any negative behavior. But approach the issue in a positive way. Criticizing yourself won't fix the problem, and simply wishing to change isn't enough.

Some people are just plain thoughtless. But, a lot of the time, lateness is simply a bad habit that can be fixed with a little effort and attention to your routine.

7 Top Tips to Avoid Lateness

1. Look at your watch. Time your daily and weekly routines – you will be surprised at how long it all takes.

2. For every task, think carefully and visualize who you'll help or what you'll gain by being on time. This can counter any drive to rebel against constraints or expectations, or the fear of losing out in some other way.

3. Set alarms and reminders, and limit distractions. Schedule appointments to avoid peak times. Booking important meetings for 9 a.m. seems like a good idea, but could be a recipe for disaster if you get stuck in traffic. Plan to arrive 10-15 minutes early.

4. Don't squeeze in "one more thing" before that appointment. And don't leave little tasks like getting gas or cash until the last minute.

5. Don't arrive too early, either. If others show up on time to find you at the end of a cup of coffee, you risk making them feel anxious.

6. Plan for tomorrow the night before. Prepare breakfast and lunch, lay out your clothes, and pack your bags. Work out how long each task will take by breaking it down into steps, so you don't underestimate it. Add contingencies and buffers.

7. Prioritize sleep. Oversleeping is one of the most common causes of being late. But getting enough sleep is essential.

What's Next?

If you’re consistently late, you’ve got a bad habit you need to break. You’re likely annoying your colleagues, and damaging your reputation.

If you’re constantly late, identify the cause, address it, and take positive steps to adjust your behavior. Arriving slightly early, or on time, demonstrates that you value your own time and other people's. It also reduces unnecessary stress – for you and for others.

If you want to do something about habitual lateness, take a look at these Mind Tools resources.

Breaking Bad Habits. Lateness is an acquired habit, but it doesn’t have to be permanent. Our article shows you how to stop damaging behaviors, and cultivate better ones.

How Good Is Your Time Management? If you’re not sure whether you've got a lateness problem, or what to do about it, here’s a good place to start. Our quiz will get you thinking – and acting.

Dealing With Lateness Need some practical tips to combat lateness in your team? Look no further. Our article has it covered.

Tip of the Week

Keep Your To-Do List Specific

By Simon Bell, Mind Tools Writer and Editor

Using to-do lists is a great way of keeping on top of your workload – if you use them properly. But how many times do you write a list of must-do jobs at the start of the day, only to find that you still haven’t ticked off a single one by the end? I know I have.

So, to make your to-do list work for you, keep it specific.

Avoid vague terms like "presentation," "meeting" or "conference trip." Be precise about what you need to do now and, if the task is complex, what you'll need to do next. For example "create slides for presentation," "organize venue for meeting" or "search for flights for trip to Madrid."

To help you do this, start each item on your list with a verb such as ‘call…’ or ‘determine…’ or ‘present…’. This gets you thinking about the action you need to take to complete the task.

For more ideas, see our article Ten Tips for To-Do Lists.

Pain Points Podcast

Difficult conversations are, well, difficult. They’re also an essential part of life and work. You may have to tell your team they're not getting a pay raise. You may have to address inappropriate behavior. Whatever the subject, they’re tough to master.

This week’s Pain Points podcast is all about difficult conversations – the challenges of getting them right, and getting the outcomes you need. Join Jonathan Hancock and the team as they chat about their own experiences of difficult conversations.

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News Roundup

This Week's Global Workplace Insights

We Second That Secondment

Ever thought that a fresh pair of eyes could bring fresh ideas to your team? Well, it turns out you were right.

Research published in the Strategic Management Journal shows that seconded employees, temporarily assigned to different roles or departments, contribute to innovation by generating novel ideas and driving innovation in others.

The study, led by Linus Dahlander, Professor of Strategy at ESMT Berlin, and researchers from Aarhus University, Warwick Business School, and Bocconi University, analyzed data on seconded employees at the National Science Foundation.

They found that seconded employees select more novel ideas and have a positive influence on innovation among permanent staff.

So, using seconded employees strategically could enhance novel thinking across an organization, and foster shared learnings that persist after those employees have moved on.

Can a seconded employee really bring about that much change? Maybe that’s a best-case scenario. It’ll depend on their understanding of the need for innovation, and how good their external networks are.

But it turns out that friendly strangers really can make a difference.

Fighting Back Against Workplace Ill-Health

A new analysis by U.K. nonprofit the Health Foundation reveals that 12 percent of the country’s working-age population are currently in work with a "work-limiting" health condition.

That’s 3.7 million people, or around one working-age person in eight. It represents an increase of 1.4 million over the past decade. The impact on individuals is significant. The "health pay gap" for full-time workers with such conditions can mean 15 percent lower average income.

In individual categories, mental ill-health has seen a more than four-fold increase among 16 to 34-year-olds in the last decade. A current employee in this age group is as likely to report a work-limiting condition as someone in the 45–54-year-old age group a decade ago.

So what’s to be done?

The Health Foundation is a campaigning charity: not surprisingly, it says that the findings emphasize the need for government and employers to address the challenges of working-age ill-health. It's setting up a new independent Commission for Healthier Working Lives to develop solutions. Time will tell whether it can make a difference to the U.K.’s declining workplace health.

For more on how to improve workplace health, mental and physical, check out Mind Tools' article Creating a Healthy Workplace.

See you next week for more member-exclusive content and insight from the Mind Tools team!