A very important step towards self-development is punctuality or having control over time. If you do not have control over your own time, not only that time would be wasted but the development of your intellect will also be hindered. Your potentiality of success will also be ruined in the same way because the time that you have wasted today, those very few minutes which you have wasted for nothing, will never return. You would but repent in future for the wastage of time.

Punctuality is a virtue in that society where there are people that are more successful, more advanced. It has become almost a fashion of the responsible people of our rudimentary society to come late in a program or an appointment. The more important one is, the more he comes late to show his importance. There is no comment about V.I.P. The ministers consider that it is likely that they would be late and people would wait for them. That is why they do not bother to show the minimum courtesy saying sorry to people even if they are late for one or two hours. Thus, it has become very normal in our country to arrive somewhere late or to start a meeting late. The situation is same in other undeveloped countries as well.

In African countries, it is usual to start things late. Time has no importance there. Just like our country, they do not start their social, political, commercial program or meeting in time. The time when a program starts is considered as its beginning time; it continues in a leisurely manner and when it ends is the time of ending a program. That is, there is no time limitation here. There is an idiom in our country, “before the eating, after the meeting”. Whereas the people in the developed countries who run the world, they are always very conscious about time. Punctuality is an indispensible part of their daily life. To reach somewhere late over there is very disgraceful. Our ministers do not feel embarrassed to attend a meeting one hour late whereas in Japan, a minister becomes a news if he arrives a little late in a meeting.

Therefore, we can state without hesitation that punctuality is the symbol of the advanced mindset. In addition, to be reluctant about time symbolizes ignorance and intellectual inferiority. Therefore, for self-development and success in life, you will have to be punctual in every step. You have to control your own time.

If you have the bad habit of being late at occasions, the following 6 steps can help you be punctual.

1. Select any friend or subordinate as your timekeeper. To be punctual, do not hesitate to take help from him. Encourage your friends to speak out their suffering at your being late.
2. If you are reluctant about how time passes away, buy a beeper watch. It will remind you the time every hour in a sweet tone.
3. To avoid delay, have some extra time beforehand. Do not rely on the chance of making excuses. The excuse of traffic jam is a very lame one, because it is a daily issue now.
4. Award yourself for being punctual. If you can arrive at your workplace in time thrice a week, award yourself. Thank yourself, buy a gift for own self. Moreover, punish yourself for being late. For example, if you arrive more than 15 minutes late at a dinner at restaurant, pay the bill or kneel down in washroom for sometimes.
5. Fix the time in your watch a little ahead. If you have your time 5/10 minutes ahead on your watch, it will help you accomplish your work in time.
6. Do not make excuse for being late. It is usually seen that while arriving late at workplace, our sub-conscious mind starts making excuses –‘everyone comes late, let me do it too’, or ‘I worked a lot yesterday, let me be a little late today’, or that ‘what on earth will matter if I am late just for a day?’.  You yourself will be deceived at these types of excuses because the time that is lost today will never come back and the bad habit of being late that you have created today will hinder your own development. The high-officials will consider you an irresponsible person.

A very effective way to go ahead towards success by making yourself punctual is giving autosuggestion in daily meditation. Recite in meditation everyday: ‘Every program of today is important for me. I will accomplish each task on time. I will be regular in keeping words and appointments.’

To make your near and dear ones punctual, you can take the following six measures:

1. Remind them of their responsibilities. Call them. Enforce them to be punctual. Let them realize why their delay is making you annoyed.
2. Do not be too humble. If your friend or associate is late again in business meeting, be decisive to tell him that you do not like being late. If this direct statement makes him embarrassed, let it be.
3. If any guest is excessively late in an invitation or if it is his habit to arrive late always, do not just wait for him. Start your meal.
4. There is no need to listen to the excuses for the delay. Tell him that this is again a waste of time to listen to the excuses.
5. While waiting for others, chose a comfortable place. It is much more comfortable to go through the pages of a book in a bookshop instead of waiting in a restaurant.
6. If anyone is too late, do not wait for him and leave the place. Your departure will help him realize the situation.

These steps are much tasted ways to make yourself and others punctual.