What is punctuality?

We explain what punctuality is and how it is considered in different cultures. The problems generated by unpunctuality. Queue theory.

1. What is punctuality?

The punctuality  is a behavior human that makes point to reach places in the exact schedule previously agreed. People use certain instruments to have knowledge of the time, such as clocks.

Punctuality, in principle, is a quality acquired by human beings , which is considered as the virtue of fulfilling the delivery of a task or fulfilling an obligation, within the stipulated time and fully committed to the accomplishment of it.

In some cultures , time is not as important as in others and, therefore, some people within those cultures are free to meet deadlines, as well as schedules. In these cultures it is not frowned upon to be late for meetings, or to fail to meet deadlines.

However, in cultures where punctuality is valued, the lack thereof is considered a lack of respect and consideration with another person, task or obligation; that can even be taken as an insult . The one who arrives late or does not meet the pre-established deadlines, is excluded from the meetings or the work is rejected; almost, in this way, socially punishing them for what is considered a breach of speech.

2. Punctuality as a value

Punctuality is considered a value . It is a discipline that consists of being on time to fulfill our obligations : a family dinner, a meeting of friends, a job to deliver, a meeting in the office, and so on. There are even companies that require their employees, by signing an agreement, to arrive on time to their daily jobs, being punished for the opposite action.

The idea of ​​punctuality, in everyday life, is a discipline. That is to say, with the passage of time, it is possible to alter an unpunctual lifestyle and go, little by little, turning to punctuality. This is so necessary to create our personality of character, order and efficiency , because it allows us to enjoy more moments of everyday life, organized and without being on the run to arrive on schedule.

Punctuality requires an organization that goes from the smallest level of life in society, to the largest level that we will see later with examples of punctuality, depending on the place you occupy in the community . Punctuality allows us to recover the value of time , also to carry out our work and activities in appropriate conditions to be able to do them.

The unpunctuality indicates a disinterest that often generates a negative score, in the case of jobs and large activities, as well as the inconvenience of those who work with us.

3. Punctuality in everyday life

In the means of transport punctuality is usually taken as a very important value, since for leisure or business trips many times the combinations of means of transport are necessary and that, unfortunately, does not always depend on how punctual the user is , but that It is the responsibility of the companies that provide us with these services.

Many air navigation companies strive to create an image of respect for the user, offering punctuality among their main values, resembling the guarantees offered by trains, which do boast a great punctuality in terms of arrivals and departures of their formations .

4. Queue Theory

Given the conditions of punctuality described above, we should consider that the use of it is important everywhere . Then, when we enter into analysis of some things for which we wait daily, we find an anomaly that can even make us angry.

For example , when taking the turn with the doctor or buying a ticket to travel by bus or plane, we are required a certain punctuality so that we do not miss the appointment or the ticket in case of delay, but if the doctors take time or the bus and the plane is delayed, we must wait without accusing any displeasure.

With these examples we want to exemplify, redundancy, queue theory, which explains that the values ​​of time, depending on whether you are a customer or a provider, vary . This would indicate that the relative value would be simple to reduce if additional providers (doctors, airplanes, buses) are used, increasing the cost of the total to be paid for the route, in the case of means of transport, and treatment, in case of the doctors and other people who are dedicated to providing services.