Punctuality is one of the most frequent requirements of the employer to the future employee. Still, for some, this quality has long been relegated to the background because it is the time of freelancing, free schedule, and remote work, where time limits are erased.
And what about your personal life? Imagine: your beau or lady of the heart is late for a date for a whole hour. Unpleasant, right? Especially when you’re the kind of person who arrives half an hour “before.” What does punctuality mean, how important this quality is in today’s world and how to develop it if your watch is always working against you? Let’s talk in our article. This article will be helpful to people who, for example, may take too long to sort out Teen Patti combinations or be late for meetings.
Benefits and harms of punctuality
Punctuality is a character trait that implies that a person performs his duties in time. It manifests systematicness in affairs, collectedness, exactness, and the clarity of rules and responsibilities.
Punctuality refers to those who are used to keeping everything in perfect order. Such people always come to a meeting precisely on time and do not like it when they do not comply with time agreements because it manifests disrespect toward them. This quality is particularly valued in business circles and largely determines the person’s character. In a word, punctuality = politeness.
What are the advantages of punctuality?
- Those who value their own and others’ time inspire confidence in others more than those who are systematically late. In addition, punctuality is a manifestation of respect for the partner’s feelings because he may begin to worry if the clock has already struck the exact time of the meeting and you are still not there. What if something happened?
- Punctual employees have a better chance of career advancement than those constantly arriving late or completing tasks late. Yes, professionalism is above all, but can a permanent “late” manager set a good example?
- Someone who does everything on time keeps control of his life. Judge for yourself: if deadlines for meetings and various tasks are constantly pushed back, everything is not according to plan, which often leads to chaos.
- Punctuality protects the nervous system: because of the lateness, a person gets nervous and makes the one waiting for their worry.
- If a person is punctual, it means that he knows how to manage his time and therefore has time to do a lot more things than someone who cannot boast of having such a quality.
- Surprising as it may sound, punctuality can also have the opposite effect despite all the advantages.
Here are its main disadvantages:
- Someone who constantly does everything on time is very demanding to those around him, which makes the impression of a too strict and uninteresting person.
- Suppose you are late for a meeting with a punctual person. In that case, you can easily find yourself on his “blocklist” because such behavior is perceived by him as a sign of disrespect, even though the reason for being late may be pretty reasonable.
- Punctual people are usually difficult to adapt to change. Imagine: a person has all the affairs planned by the minute, and unforeseen circumstances change the daily routine. And if it turns out that he already has to be somewhere else and he is late? That’s a shortcut to stress.
- Such people find it difficult to relax even in the family environment because punctuality goes hand in hand with pedantry, which means that there should be order in everything at home, even though the rest of the family members imagine domestic pastimes differently.
Of course, even the most punctual person can be late at least once for some reason, like 3 Patti online games, because no one has canceled the human factor. Psychologists argue that the ability to observe the time frame accurately is a characteristic of the character, i.e., it turns out that not everyone can be punctual.
Are we talking only about kings?
The famous phrase “Punctuality is the politeness of kings” is translated from the French (L’exatitude est la politesse des rois) and, because of the nature of the translation, has another interpretation: “Punctuality is the politeness of kings. Few people know, but this expression has a sequel, and in total, it sounds like this: “Accuracy is the politeness of kings, but an obligation for their subjects. The author of the phrase is the French King Louis XVIII, who ruled the state from 1814 to 1824.
Culture and Time
Did you know that in some countries, the attitude to punctuality is different from the usual understanding that this quality should be an a priori for everyone who considers himself polite? American psychologist Edward Hall studied the ambiguous opinions of other people about punctuality. As a result, he distinguished two concepts of time:
- Monochromatic: time strictly regulates people’s behavior and relationships. The United States, Germany, England, and Scandinavian countries adhere to this concept.
- Polychromatic: Human relationships are prioritized, and people can do several things simultaneously. This culture refers to Central Asian, Arabian countries, etc.
Let’s take a closer look at how punctuality works in different parts of the world.
England
The English are used to planning their time precisely. They’re not the type to do several things at once. So if an Englishman gives you a meeting at a precise time, you’re sure it’ll be on time.
Interestingly, in Ireland, despite its proximity to England, the attitude to punctuality is very different. They even have a concept of Irish time, interpreted as the limit of tardiness. In addition, they specify whether they mean English or Irish time when making an appointment.
In monochrome cultures, polite attitudes toward time are evident in business circles and personal ones. There are even specific rules of etiquette which help to keep a distance and don’t allow sudden intrusion into other people’s plans: it is customary to invite to dinner ten days in advance if it is a telephone conversation and three weeks in advance if the invitation is sent by letter. If the event is more formal, then six weeks in advance.
France
France can also be referred to as a country where monochrome and polychrome cultures are combined. Men are never late for business meetings, and ladies are often 5-10 minutes late, but only if it is a date with a man, and always arrive on time if a woman is expecting them.
It is noteworthy that the French come on a date a little earlier, and if a man is very much in love, then at least an hour in advance. On the other hand, French women are late for romantic meetings by 20 minutes, and if they have little interest in their beau, then by 30-40 minutes. In general, punctuality is valued in France, and whether a man is late or not can be judged by his manners and degree of love.
Japan
If you are a fan of spontaneous meetings and unexpected decisions, you will find it extremely difficult to contact the Japanese, especially regarding business relations. Meeting times in Japan are discussed in advance, with the purpose of the visit and all the necessary information about who you are and what company you represent. Do not expect a quick response to a proposal, usually in writing, as the Japanese are extensive in all cases and will certainly ask a few more qualifying questions.
It would be best if you came to the meeting in advance. Even if the delay is only for a minute, it will be perceived as a lack of respect, and other relations will be threatened. If still, for some reason, being late is unavoidable, you should inform the other party in advance and apologize a few times, explaining the reason for such behaviour.
