Is there a specific method to avoid being late to appointments and to make accurate time predictions? There might not be an exact method, but there is something I have noticed about how time works that can be used to a personal advantage.

Making more accurate time predictions and getting to places on time is possible with the use of a time buffer. 

The Importance of Having a Buffer

Planning appointments or scheduling tasks should involve a "buffer zone" to factor in aspects of the task that are not often considered. The conscious task might be driving from place B to place C, cooking a meal, or scheduling client visiting times. 

The conscious task of driving might be 10 minutes in length to get to place C, but the other factors involved in this task are traffic light times, time spent parking, and time spent walking to and from the car. Each of these factors might make the buffer as long as 10 minutes, meaning the trip will take 20 minutes.

Likewise, the buffer for cooking a meal might be preparing ingredients and serving the meal. The buffer for scheduling client times could be the time between a client leaving an appointment and a new client arriving. For example, scheduling 3 1-hour appointments at 9, 10, and 11pm will cause the 10.00 appointment to start later because the 9.00 client would not leave until at least 10.02. Creating a buffer, such as 50-55 minute session lengths instead of 1-hour sessions would be essential to avoid this.

How to Use a Buffer

You do not need to account for all the possible factors that count as a time buffer. Instead just add 5 or 10 minutes to the preparation time of an appointment. If a task should take 8 minutes, mark it down as 10 minutes. If it takes 20 minutes to drive to a location, leave 30 minutes in advance. You will find that where in the past making time estimates was difficult the use of a buffer makes it much easier to guess how long a task will take and to get there on time for appointments.

Good Habits

I've started a new section on this blog titled "Good Habits" which will deal with practical topics on how to use self-consciousness to put unconscious habits and tasks to good use. I will be posting more of these practical guides in the near future.

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