If Colombia's economically active population loses 15 minutes due to people arriving late to a single meeting, that equates to $6 million per average meeting. How many appointments are you late to each month, each year? Multiply that out and find free technology that helps you be punctual.

Punctuality is a matter of education, respect, and culture; it's a habit that can be acquired, developed, and strengthened with the help of technology. The good news is, you already have all the technology you need, and even better, it's already installed. You just need to use it or learn how to use it and get the most out of it.

Have you heard the phrase, "Time is money"? Surely you have, but since minutes don't automatically turn into a gold ingot, it's difficult to appreciate its true meaning.

The "Lost Time Accounts" feature will help you find free technologies to be punctual.

How much time do you spend in "standby mode" during the day, if you're in a hurry? Does a minute at a traffic light or in an elevator feel like 10 minutes?

Let's quantify the value of time: imagine a person earning $1,000 a month, receiving that money for 22 working days, working 8 hours a day (hypothetically). That means the hourly cost of that person's labor is $5.70. Almost the same as renting a movie on Apple TV.

Now let's consider this: this person attends 22 meetings a month, one per day, and in each of those meetings they have to wait 15 minutes for it to start. This is because they have to wait for someone, the internet isn't connecting, or you can choose the reason—15 minutes vanish per meeting. So, 15 x 22 = 330 minutes, which is equivalent to 5.5 hours, and that costs the company $31.25 per person per month. If it's a meeting of 4 people, we're talking about $125. If this happens in your company with 4 groups of people with similar characteristics, the company is already wasting $500 per month, or $6,000 per year.

Some collaborators cost more than others, but that's not the point. Let's consider this: in Colombia, the economically active population is 20.5 million people. Half of that is 10 million, and let's assume that 50% of them are affected by "Colombian Time," contributing to the loss of $31.25 per month. If we multiply $31.25 by 5 million people, we get a total of:

USD 156.250.000 dólares, ciento cincuenta y seis millones doscientos cincuenta mil dólares al mes, o sea 1.875’000.000 al año. El tiempo es oro.

So, the "Hehe, I'm 10 minutes late, sorry" doesn't sound so great anymore when we know this is a common habit. Those who are late should count the people and say, "Because of my lack of punctuality, I made you lose so much money. I'm sorry, I'll pay."

Si usted es el jefe ese dinero es suyo y si lo pierde en ocasiones por su incumplimiento, pues usted puede hacer lo que quiera con su dinero. Si es empleado…. o independiente…. es diferente.

Now that we know what we're talking about and the magnitude of the problem, let's think about the solution:

The 0Anyone who arrives 10 minutes late won't be allowed into the meeting, and for every minute of delay, they'll donate 10,000 to a charity (any charity you choose), or you can use that money however you see fit. I guarantee you'll have a super punctual team in less than a week. They might sue you, but remember, no one who's always late ever shows up late to the movies, misses their vacation flights, or forgets restaurant reservations. There are other options too, using common technologies:

• Proper use of the calendar: Make sure to add all your appointments to your calendar and set reminders 15 or 30 minutes before the meeting, as appropriate. Allow extra time if you have to travel outside the office. Sometimes this takes an hour or more. At the end of the day, review your schedule for the next day to avoid surprises; make this a habit. Remember, if you're late for your first appointment, you'll probably be running around all day.
• Call for a meeting: Invite only the necessary people, clearly describe the topic to be discussed and the objective to be achieved, and consider sharing documents with background information to make the meeting more effective and avoid turning it into a reading group. Make sure you receive RSVPs and check the availability of key attendees on Google Calendar, Outlook, or Teams.

You can do this when they're on your team; the app even suggests ideal times. If it's a client, you can give them the option to choose the most convenient day and time, making your schedule available to them. (For example, in) www.x.ai )

• Be selective: Accept meetings that are essential for fulfilling responsibilities and strategic objectives; otherwise, clarify and negotiate your participation. No one can recover lost time.
• Waiting times: Don't spend more than 10-15 minutes starting a meeting if you're the supplier and have an appointment immediately afterward; explain that you only have 45-50 minutes available. If you're the client, you decide how long to wait, but punctuality creates a positive impression of the supplier.
• Use tools: Siri, Hey Google and even Cortana They help you remember anything you need; just say, "Hey Siri, set a reminder: call #NAME# at 3 pm," and it'll remind you at three. They're the best assistants; if you use them correctly, they won't forget. Using your phone in another language will give you practice (a double benefit).

Simply using a calendar correctly, the discipline to update and review it, and a little respect for others can help us be more productive. This is partly why it's so important to find technology that allows you to be punctual, and it's free.

For a better life, business, and country!