When my office was on the Island, I usually closed work at 4:30 to beat the traffic on the third mainland bridge and other axis. By that time, the road is free from the Island to the mainland and driving is seamless. From 4:40 and above, you’ll be shocked at the traffic build-up on the road. In Lagos, it takes just a few minutes to build terrible traffic and a few minutes to beat it.
This is a good illustration of the importance of timing as a crucial aspect of life, both personal and professional.
Growing up, I had a model of right timing in my father. If you know him and don’t know that, then you don’t know him well. If you have an appointment with my Dad and fail to turn up at the exact time, 10 minutes at most and he didn’t hear from you, he may cancel the appointment or leave the venue. If you’re to follow him in his car, just find another means or change your route. I cannot count the number of times he left people who were to accompany him to a function behind. He is pretty strict about punctuality and detests the habit of ‘African Time’. With that consciousness, I took punctuality seriously, especially in formal matters.
Again, during my days as an employee, I worked with another model of punctuality. My boss was always the first to be at work. This made it easy for his staff to embrace punctuality without choice. I emulated that when I became an employer and ensured I put time at the forefront of my business. Those who have worked with me or for me know that I have zero tolerance for negligence of time of any sort. I have laid off a lot of staff for habitual late coming, even the most efficient because to me, being punctual demonstrates one’s commitment and reliability at work.
Being on time to work, turning up at a scheduled time, whether to call or chat, calling before time to reschedule or cancel, etc, should not be taken for granted in business. I try not to make allowances in timekeeping in business schedules or appointments and I ensure that I call before the time to notify if there are changes. I also expect the same from anyone I have business dealings with.
The importance of keeping to time cannot be over-emphasized especially in official matters. Timekeeping helps to avert danger, manage risks, enhance productivity, make proper planning, set priorities, maintain boundaries, manage stress, and achieve lifetime balance. A few minutes of lateness can disrupt a lot in life or even cost a life in some cases. Being punctual is one arm, and managing time is another arm. Whichever one, consciousness is the key.
Children and young adults need to learn early, the skills of timekeeping and the awareness to make it a habit. It will help them to map out priorities, have a time frame for all their activities, and set their expectations well. It starts with waking up on time and avoiding lateness to school, church, or any activity they have scheduled for the day.
For this to be achieved, children should be fully involved in managing their time. At a certain age, they should be able to set an alarm and wake up by themselves and ensure they keep to time without much prompting from their parents. In so doing, they create time mindfulness within them and align that with their daily thoughts and actions.
To every parent, while making a list of what to offer your children, ensure that time consciousness is top on the list because it determines other forms of consciousness that they can access and express. It is a powerful tool that helps them align their skills and talents in setting their future goals.
Pericles captured it perfectly in his quote, ‘Time is the wisest counsellor of all’. This presents the link between time, the decisions we make, and their outcomes.
✍️ Amara Ann Unachukwu
