Chapter 53 – 9 Ways To Beat Filipino Time
Note: This is originally posted in a blog I created and deleted, named: Pinoy Habits, last 2018.
Know Your Why – Stop blaming and find why your always got late. One way to find this is ask yourself why for 5 times. It's a method to find key problems in businesses and factories when there's something got wrong. If you use the why for 5 times and still didn't found the real reason, don't stop until you make it. The 5 whys is your guide for it. Use it to beat your tardiness.
Create Time Blocks or Schedule – Write down your tasks of the day, starting from the end to the start. Time blocks assures you that you must do specific tasks in specific time and writing it backwards ascertain the amount of time you need for all the actions you must perform: 6:00 Leave Office, 9:00-6:00 Work, 8:30 Leave House, 7:00 Breakfast/Get Ready, 6:00 Exercise/Jogging, 5:00 Wake up.
Get Organized – Maybe your always late because your room is like Divisoria, instead of leaving home early. You spend an hour looking for that door key. Organize your things in such a way, you can get them in ease. You can use the Japanese way of sorting things: a. Tie (Where to put) – Decide the location where to put something b. Tie Hin (What to put) – Decide what item needs to put c. Tie Rio (How much to put)
Get Excited – If you don't want to be late, get excited on the event or task that you will do. Just think those children who are excited for their field trips and those who will watch new release movies in cinemas. They are early in the waiting line so they can have a good seat.
Make Gradual Changes – You're always 1 hour late, try some tips in this list to improve on time. From 1 hour, then 45 minutes, then 30 then 15 minutes until you reach the goal of not being late. In the process you will be aware of the things that affect your tardiness and in your self why your late.
Know Your Limitation – If beating Filipino Time (tardiness) wasn't easy and everyone know your always in that mode. You can make an excuse and inform your friends or your boss that you'll be late. Make a consideration but don't end everything here. Your goals is to beat this bad habit.
Create Accountability – Ask a friend and create challenges and add stakes (below) this will make you and your friend accountable to each other. Accountability makes a good habit stronger because you compete to each other and you don't want to be late forever and pay for his lunch.
Add Stakes – Money is big issue for Filipinos and we hate losing it. I experienced this from my last job. 5 pesos for every 30 minutes and will pay in the end of month. The higher the stake (1000 pesos)much better or donate that money to any organizations that you don't want to support. I know you'll beat tardiness or loss money
Commit – Write in a paper and post in your Facebook wall that you will never be late again and being on Filipino Time is not in your blood. If everyone see this from your family to your workplace, they will look forward to you no to be late. This will get you excited and thrilled.
So now that you have 9 ways to beat Filipino Time (tardiness) kababayan. How about add a 10th one that you know that can help to beat this bad habit?