What has always worked for me and plan ahead the time you need to get ready/commute. For me it takes 30 minutes to get ready and 30 minutes to commute so I have to get ready 1 hour before I need to be somewhere. This only works if you are honest with yourself. So if that’s an issue, than you have bigger problems than punctuality.

Be early. Not being pedantic, I mean literally attempt to be early. For me that generally gets me very close to the set time.

Funny thing is that this is the ONE ADHD thing I don’t have. My trick: Super-panic about being late.

The broader strategy is that I set an exact time that triggers the “panic mode”. So for example when I need to take a 3 day trip, I put my open suitcase in the middle of the room and fill it only casually as is convenient, starting days before. Hours before departure, I’m putting what is still missing in, but very relaxed, and do other things such as shower, eat, whatever needs to be done. But like 20 minutes before departure, the “panic mode” is triggered. Whatever is still missing then is done with maximum stress, only absolute show-stoppers, no optionals, complete panic the whole time.

Knowing that panic mode is still there to help last minute, allows me to do the entire thing very relaxed.

I was shamed in my early years for not getting to school on time, that combined with some anxiety makes sure I always srruve before I need/want to

Similar to many others on here, I’m terrible at time estimation, so I have to literally track backwards from the time I need to be there with things I need to do along the way, so:

Need to be there at 8am Driving takes 30mins (730) Shower 15mins (715) Tidy up and get my travel drink 20mins (0655) etc.

Then I also usually add 15mins to get lost or find parking. (0640)

Then I know what time to get up etc.

(Then I usually panic that I need more buffer and add another 30mins and get up at 0610!)

Oh… And the calendar thing. If its not in the calendar, it doesn’t happen…

I try to be ready to leave, meaning dressed and bag is packed, as early as possible. I am for being as ready as possible at least 15 minutes before I leave. I add and subtract minutes depending on how important the event is and how much I need to have checked before leaving.

also, I try to aim for being at least 10 minutes early for most events. this is working very good for me. it allows small talk with other people who’ve arrived and it allows time for being late.

it is time consuming, but I’ve come to enjoy the breaks it gives, before leaving and when arriving early ^^

also, thinking through what I need to prepare before leaving as early as possible. Often, I think about it the afternoon before I have to pack.

good luck :)

//edit:

these systems don’t stop me from getting distracted and forgetting things, but because I’ve moved everything 15 minutes earlier, then when I’m late for my own deadlines, often I’ll still make it to the actual deadlines :)

I plan my days backwards. If my appointment is at 13:00 tomorrow I check the travel timetables and determine the absolute latest I have to leave. From there, how long does it take to get ready? What time do I have to be awake in order to get ready? What time do I have to be asleep by in order to get a full night of rest? The anxiety and restlessness makes sure I stay on top of it.

…and a lot of weed to make sure I actually do fall asleep on time as one or two puffs too many puts me in the right spot to fall asleep quickly.

Being late is not something i struggled as much. I just found people generally underestimate how long it takes to get ready.

Though now I’m late more often because i stopped caring, and it’s because I was always too early which is also not good so 🤷

I set my alarms extra early so I have plenty of time to hit the snooze button 4 times while I gradually wake up. I also set the clock in my car 10-15 minutes fast. People have asked, “If you know exactly how fast it is, why not just put it on the right time?”

That is a damn good question, but we’re not going to change it and find out.

If I know long long it takes to get somewhere, I will somehow find myself leaving the house with exactly that amount of time, leaving no space for delays. This is bad. So instead I’ve started saying “I’m going to leave at this time, which is definitely more time than I need” and then not looking at a clock when I get there so I never find out how much closer I could cut it.

The other strategy is to plan to eat when I get there, before whatever it is starts. I will be motivated to get there with enough time to eat.

Honestly, trying not to beat myself up too much is a big part of it. This sounds like a wishy washy answer, but for real, I improved a heckton when I started giving reasonably accurate updates.

E.g Before: I have arranged to meet with a friend at 4pm. My travel time is 30 but can be variable due to traffic. It takes me 30 mins to get ready. 3:15 rolls round and I still haven’t started getting ready. If I hurried, I might make it in time. I do not do that. I cringe internally and end up indulging more deeply in whatever distraction caused me to overrun. 4pm rolls around and my friend messages to check in. Either I cancel, or I tell a lie and start getting ready, hating myself all the while. My friend is irked at me, and I don’t blame them.

After: The same as before, but at 3:15, I message my friend to tell them I’ll be half an hour late (I round up to account for being bad at time). I end up being 5 or 10 minutes late nonetheless, but my friend isn’t annoyed, partly because I kept them in the loop about my progress. I still cringe at being late, but I find that over time, I get better at genuinely holding myself accountable, and at estimating time.

alarms for everything and i always leave early.

Put everything in your calendar. Use notifications sufficiently far ahead to be useful, and have the ability to snooze alerts.

On Android I use Calendar Notifications for greater flexibility with notifications.

For example, for doctor appointments I set the notification for a day in advance. Then I’ll snooze it until I need to leave the next day (with extra time for cleaning up, etc).

I look at my calendar all the time. Keep it open on my laptop, month view, so I’m always seeing what my month looks like, what’s coming up.

Pay attention to how laye you generally are. I used to be chronically late. I began to notice I was generally about 20-30 minutes behind. I could often make up some of that, but it was rushed.

The fix was quite simple, I trained myself to add 30 minutes “faffing time” to any estimate or leave time. I have an “aim to leave” and “MUST leave” time. I generally leave about 10-15 minutes ‘late’, but due to the buffer, I have 15-20 minutes leeway still to deal with things like extra traffic.

i tell people to give me a time one hour before i have to show up.

works every time.