Some people are almost always on time. Other people you could set your clock with their lateness. If you're always behind the times, what can you do to be more punctual?

1. Be conscious of time

That doesn't mean that you should always be clock watching. Just be aware of the time and how long you need to prepare yourself to be somewhere else. Factor in the journey time as well as all the other things you simply "must do" before you can leave whatever it is you're currently doing.

2. Set your watch fast

Sneaky. But it works at least sometimes. It's actually better if you can get someone to collude with you on this so that they set all your clocks fast by the same amount. One snag here is that your computer nowadays sets its time remotely so you will need to remember to stop it automatically synchronizing time otherwise it will ruin the illusion.

3. Time your regular tasks

Chances are that you under estimate how long regular things take you. Maybe something you think will take 5 minutes actually takes 6 or 7 minutes (or even 10 or 15 - been there, done that). Over the course of the day, this mounts up and by the end of the day you've skipped an hour or two.

4. Be more ruthless with your time

If you book your time out by the hour, don't give away an extra 5 or 10 minutes free. This mounts up and there's a good chance you'll manage just fine if you know you have just 60 minutes to complete a task rather than stretching it out for longer just "because".

5. Don't pressurize your calendar

Maybe you're just trying to fit too many things into your day and even Superman wouldn't be able to do what you're trying to do. Be honest with your diary and don't try to squeeze a quart of time into a pint pot.