“Filipino Time” is so outdated. Sure, it is funny when you chat “OTW na ako!” when you are still in the bathroom in the middle of your bath while the other party is waiting for you at the agreed-upon meetup place but this toxic Filipino habit needs to end. It not only affects our daily schedules but also tends to have a negative effect on our public image as individuals and also our image as a people representing our country. Let me give you five reasons why arriving early at work or any meetups is actually beneficial to you.
Arriving early at work can help you showcase your professionalism. It shows your employer you are reliable and it will ensure that you have a positive image with your supervisors. This will definitely help you when the time comes you are applying for a supervisory position. Just make sure you arrive early at work constantly without fail as consistency is key to your positive image.
Reducing stress at work is very important and one can do this by going to work earlier than the start of your shift. When you arrive early at work you have ample time to do personal stuff like cleaning up your workstation or maybe go to the bathroom to freshen up. You can even have coffee with a light snack like crackers or biscuits. Doing this gives you the feeling of preparedness and this should last the whole day as you go about your work.
Working at an office means you would need to socialize with your officemates. Doing this makes your work life easier. Having a good relationship with your co-workers means you have friends you can depend on when you are in need of work-related stuff like deadlines and additional work. Also, it is not always about work. Spending time with your co-workers builds friendships that oftentimes extend outside your work setting. You can actually build lasting relationships with your co-workers and could even go as far as finding life partners at work but I would not recommend that (wink).
Time management is an essential skill that your superiors look for when considering an employee for promotion. An employee with good time management skills is very reliable as they would consistently finish their assigned tasks on time or even ahead of schedule. When you arrive early at work you give yourself breathing space to finish your assigned tasks ahead of schedule. If something goes wrong and believe me at some point it will, you will have enough time to make adjustments and finish your tasks and you would still be within schedule.
When you arrive early to work you get to your workstation without distractions. This ensures your overall productivity is high during work hours. If you arrive late, you will cause distractions to your office mates that will affect their productivity as well.