“Better three hours
too soon than
a minute too late.”
William Shakespeare

I hate being late. For anything! I’m not exactly sure where or when I got the punctuality bug, but I definitely got it. It’s woven into the fabric of who I am, and it’s been there for as long as I can remember.

The quote by William Shakespeare (above) may seem a bit extreme, but it resonates with me. I would much rather arrive early and have to wait for the other person to arrive or for an event to begin, than to be late and keep the other person waiting. For this reason, I always like to keep a book with me. When I’m early, instead of feeling that I’m wasting my time waiting for others, I can enjoy some uninterrupted reading time. What a gift!

Living in the San Francisco Bay Area, one must be prepared for the unexpected on the roadways, including delays, road closures, and detours. These might be the result of planned road work by city or county employees, or they may be caused by accidents or other unplanned incidents. By planning to arrive early to my destination, I am able to cope with the unexpected and still arrive with time to spare.

In the summer of 1969, one of my summer jobs was answering phones at the residence for Jesuits teaching at Saint Ignatius College Prep. One of my shifts was on Saturday mornings from 8:00 to noon. At noon, I was to be replaced by a young woman who would work the noon to 6:00 P.M. shift. Inevitably, this person would arrive late for work. At the conclusion of my shift, I was anxious to get out and enjoy the rest of my day, so her consistent lateness was frustrating for me. When I mentioned to her that I would appreciate it if she would arrive on time to begin her shift, her response surprised me. She said, “It’s fashionable to be late.” What?

I wanted to respond to her that it’s unprofessional and rude to be late, but I didn’t have the self-confidence at that point in my life to say this to an adult.

Through the years, I’ve learned not to make an issue out of others being late. As I said, I really don’t mind waiting. I can always find ways to use that time productively. Some people, however, use humor to cope with the tardiness of others. American writer and humorist Franklin P. Jones once said, “The trouble with being punctual is that nobody’s there to appreciate it.” 

Canadian author Orlando Aloysius Battista seems to deal with the situation much like I do. He wrote, “One good thing about punctuality is that it’s a sure way to help you enjoy a few minutes of privacy.”

Being punctual is an excellent social skill. It lets the other person know that they matter. It shows them that we value their time as much as our own. And when meeting someone for the first time, especially when arriving for a job interview, punctuality is the most effective way to establish a positive first impression. We only have one opportunity to make that first impression.

So yes, punctuality does matter.