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If you often are late for work or appointments, you know how this causes friction, frustration, and embarrassment. Here are some suggestions from Diana DeLonzor, author of Never Be Late Again: 7 Cures for the Punctually Challenged (www.neverbelateagain.com):

Learn to tell time honestly. The chronically late underestimate the amount of time things take by about 25%. They remember only the day there was no traffic and they made it to the office in 15 minutes, not the days the trip took longer. Make a list of things you do on a regular basis -- shower and dress, drive to work, pick up a few things in the store, answer e-mail. For a week, time how long each task takes you. In the future, budget the amount of time it took on the slowest occasion.

Plan to be early. If your schedule is designed to get you where you need to be just on time, you'll be late whenever the slightest thing goes wrong. Instead, aim to arrive 15 minutes early. Carry a magazine or some work with you so that you don't waste time if you are early.

Include time estimates on your to-do list. Many chronically late people expect to get everything on their to-do lists done no matter how much they pack in. Instead, block out time for each chore to get a better idea of what you can accomplish in a day. Write down the time estimates and rank each chore in order of priority so that you know what to pursue first if anything runs longer.

Wean yourself off the addiction to deadline pressure. Some people are drawn to the adrenaline rush created by looming deadlines and have difficulty motivating themselves without that pressure. They often develop a "just-in-time" mentality, tackling tasks only at the last moment. To change the last-minute mindset, you have to practice every day. Each morning for one month, write down three things that you will do ahead of time that day and then do them.

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