Do you find that you are always tardy or late in a particular area of your life? Have you tried over and over again to be more timely yet no matter what you fall into the same pattern? Maybe you are on time in every other area of your life but one?
Here are some ways to heal repeated tardiness:
1. Ask yourself if it's really something you really want to do. Have you've fallen into the habit of saying "yes" to commitments you really want to say "no" to? If this is the case, make a habit of tuning in to your intuition before you say "yes". Ask your Higher Self: Will this situation make me feel good? Wait for an answer before you commit. Get in the habit of responding with: Let me think about it and I'll get back to you.
2. Pay attention to the way you transition from moment to moment, activity to activity. Some people need more transition time than others. A reason why you may be struggling to be on time is that you're not giving yourself enough time to transition from activity to activity. If you are a person that gives your whole self to whatever moment you're in then chances are you need to give yourself more transition time. Don't pack your schedule full of back-to-back activities. Give yourself an abundance of time to transition from one activity to next.
3. Is your schedule running you? Sometimes we (myself included) allow our commitments to control us. Always be aware of the fact that at any moment you can dictate how you use your energy. It is your Divine mission to govern your life with love. Take your power back. Create a schedule that loves and nurtures who you really are. If there is an area of your life that you are struggling to be timely in, then ask yourself: What are the positive benefits of this commitment or responsibility? Why does it make me feel good to have this commitment in my life?
4. Are you a sensitive person? If so, it may be difficult for you to leave the safety and security of home and as a result you may find yourself always running against the clock. Your sensitivities will never go away, but you can definitely nurture yourself in a way that honors your sensitive nature.
Here is a prescription that has worked for me: 1. Know what the latest time you can leave and still arrive on time- calm and relaxed. Set an alarm that reminds you when to leave. 2. Let people in your life know that you struggle with getting out of the house on time so they know how to support you, however do not use this as excuse to be late. 3. Commit to doing whatever you need to do to get excited to leave the house. Do you need to eat? Exercise? Meditate? Shower? Style yourself up? Check your bank account?
Make it a routine. Know how long you need to complete your self-care ritual and build that into your day. You can absolutely cultivate the feeling of safety and security in your body so you can be more timely. All you have to do is figure out what you need to do to feel that way.
5. Create support systems that encourage timeliness. Do you need to set a timer or alarm for yourself? If you're a perfectionist, establish a set start and end time to finish a task. Have a calendar that lists what absolutely needs to get done on a particular day. Start overwhelming tasks early (like packing for a move or trip). Break big projects down into easy to-do smaller tasks. Write your plans down on a piece of paper. Only do what you really like to do and delegate the rest to others. (When I first heard this concept, I thought: Delegate? Who would want to do the stuff I don't like to do? But trust me, if you set the intention to only do what you like to do, people and resources will show up in your experience to do the tasks you don't care for. It's magical.)
6. Know that rushing around to get somewhere on time can be stimulating. If you're a person who struggles with getting motivated or putting your needs first, you may have convinced yourself that you need the stimulation of rushing around to get things done on time. This habit is neither right or wrong. Just pay attention to how it makes you feel. If you feel accomplished after a spurt of rushing around- then carry on. If you feel bad or fatigued, then you may want to consider another approach.
7. Use procrastination proactively. Always know why you're procrastinating. Be honest with yourself. Procrastination can be a really positive approach to being on time if you're clear as to why you're doing it. Make it a help mate instead of a hindrance. Often times people who are perfectionist procrastinate because they know if they give themselves too much time, they will waste it "perfecting". Procrastination is a way of putting limits on their "overdoing it" tendencies.
8. Lastly, think of your habit of always being late as an opportunity to get to know yourself better. Ask yourself: Why do I do this? What do I need when I do it? What am I afraid of? In doing this work, you turn tardiness into an opportunity to better know yourself. My senior year of high school, I found myself getting lots of "tardies". After 3 tardies, the punishment was Saturday school (you had to go to school on Saturdays from 9:00-12:00). I spent a lot of time in Saturday school that year. It was essentially a study hall and given my extreme senioritis coupled with an active social life it was the only place that I could focus and get large amounts of school work done. Introspect, my tardiness became a blessing. If it had not been for Saturday school, I probably would have not graduated on time.
Daily Affirm: I am a magnet for Divine perfect timing.
Here is an audio meditation to help you relieve morning time stress, so you can get up and moving in a timely manner.
Here are some ways to heal repeated tardiness:
1. Ask yourself if it's really something you really want to do. Have you've fallen into the habit of saying "yes" to commitments you really want to say "no" to? If this is the case, make a habit of tuning in to your intuition before you say "yes". Ask your Higher Self: Will this situation make me feel good? Wait for an answer before you commit. Get in the habit of responding with: Let me think about it and I'll get back to you.
2. Pay attention to the way you transition from moment to moment, activity to activity. Some people need more transition time than others. A reason why you may be struggling to be on time is that you're not giving yourself enough time to transition from activity to activity. If you are a person that gives your whole self to whatever moment you're in then chances are you need to give yourself more transition time. Don't pack your schedule full of back-to-back activities. Give yourself an abundance of time to transition from one activity to next.
3. Is your schedule running you? Sometimes we (myself included) allow our commitments to control us. Always be aware of the fact that at any moment you can dictate how you use your energy. It is your Divine mission to govern your life with love. Take your power back. Create a schedule that loves and nurtures who you really are. If there is an area of your life that you are struggling to be timely in, then ask yourself: What are the positive benefits of this commitment or responsibility? Why does it make me feel good to have this commitment in my life?
4. Are you a sensitive person? If so, it may be difficult for you to leave the safety and security of home and as a result you may find yourself always running against the clock. Your sensitivities will never go away, but you can definitely nurture yourself in a way that honors your sensitive nature.
Here is a prescription that has worked for me: 1. Know what the latest time you can leave and still arrive on time- calm and relaxed. Set an alarm that reminds you when to leave. 2. Let people in your life know that you struggle with getting out of the house on time so they know how to support you, however do not use this as excuse to be late. 3. Commit to doing whatever you need to do to get excited to leave the house. Do you need to eat? Exercise? Meditate? Shower? Style yourself up? Check your bank account?
Make it a routine. Know how long you need to complete your self-care ritual and build that into your day. You can absolutely cultivate the feeling of safety and security in your body so you can be more timely. All you have to do is figure out what you need to do to feel that way.
5. Create support systems that encourage timeliness. Do you need to set a timer or alarm for yourself? If you're a perfectionist, establish a set start and end time to finish a task. Have a calendar that lists what absolutely needs to get done on a particular day. Start overwhelming tasks early (like packing for a move or trip). Break big projects down into easy to-do smaller tasks. Write your plans down on a piece of paper. Only do what you really like to do and delegate the rest to others. (When I first heard this concept, I thought: Delegate? Who would want to do the stuff I don't like to do? But trust me, if you set the intention to only do what you like to do, people and resources will show up in your experience to do the tasks you don't care for. It's magical.)
6. Know that rushing around to get somewhere on time can be stimulating. If you're a person who struggles with getting motivated or putting your needs first, you may have convinced yourself that you need the stimulation of rushing around to get things done on time. This habit is neither right or wrong. Just pay attention to how it makes you feel. If you feel accomplished after a spurt of rushing around- then carry on. If you feel bad or fatigued, then you may want to consider another approach.
7. Use procrastination proactively. Always know why you're procrastinating. Be honest with yourself. Procrastination can be a really positive approach to being on time if you're clear as to why you're doing it. Make it a help mate instead of a hindrance. Often times people who are perfectionist procrastinate because they know if they give themselves too much time, they will waste it "perfecting". Procrastination is a way of putting limits on their "overdoing it" tendencies.
8. Lastly, think of your habit of always being late as an opportunity to get to know yourself better. Ask yourself: Why do I do this? What do I need when I do it? What am I afraid of? In doing this work, you turn tardiness into an opportunity to better know yourself. My senior year of high school, I found myself getting lots of "tardies". After 3 tardies, the punishment was Saturday school (you had to go to school on Saturdays from 9:00-12:00). I spent a lot of time in Saturday school that year. It was essentially a study hall and given my extreme senioritis coupled with an active social life it was the only place that I could focus and get large amounts of school work done. Introspect, my tardiness became a blessing. If it had not been for Saturday school, I probably would have not graduated on time.
Daily Affirm: I am a magnet for Divine perfect timing.
Here is an audio meditation to help you relieve morning time stress, so you can get up and moving in a timely manner.