Meetings and appointments are part of most jobs. Being late for a meeting can reflect negatively on a person and might even result in disciplinary action if it happens frequently. Making it to meetings on time requires a certain level of planning. There are five simple tips that will help anyone arrive on time for meetings.

Always Leave Early

One of the most effective ways to arrive on time for a meeting is to leave earlier than necessary every time. Any number of problems from traffic to a stuck elevator could cause the trip to take longer than expected. Leaving early ensures that any unexpected problems do not result in a late arrival. Additionally, most clients and employers are impressed when a person is consistently early for meetings.

Plan Routes In Advance

It is important to plan and understand how to get to a location in advance. A meeting at a work site or in the office of a client will require extra travel to a new location. Detailed instructions should be assembled so that there is no ambiguity about how to reach the destination. This is even important when attending meetings in a different part of the same building since a person could get lost between different floors.

Maintain a Daily Schedule

Organization is the key to arriving on time for meetings and appointments. One of the best ways to stay organized is to keep a daily schedule. This normally involves using durable genuine leather journals by Rustico to keep a structured list of the appointments for each day. The journal allows a person to see exactly what is happening during the day and when. It also helps to prevent scheduling problems such as overlapping meetings or two appointments at the same time.

Use Alarms

Everyone needs a reminder from time to time. Setting an alarm provides an automatic reminder that it is time to leave for a meeting. This could be an individual alarm clock, an alarm on a cell phone or an alarm on a watch. It should be set to go off anywhere from five to ten minutes before it is time to leave. The alarm guarantees the meeting will not be forgotten.

Stop Working Early

Anyone who is going directly from work to a meeting will need to plan a little in the hour before the meeting. Some people are late because it is not possible to stop working in time to make the appointment. It is important to start wrapping up work tasks at least 30 minutes before it is time to leave. This will remove the chance that work demands stop a person from leaving on time.