Gregory P. (LII)

“If there is still time, there is no need to worry; if time is already running out, worrying is useless.”

To make sure I’m not late for a meeting, the first thing you should do is tell me the wrong meeting time—for example, half an hour earlier than it actually is. Then I’ll arrive on time (that is, half an hour later), and if I happen to arrive exactly at the scheduled time, I won’t be too offended and will immediately forget that my friend misled me about it.

Why is it sometimes hard for me not to be late? For example, I need to get to a meeting by twelve o’clock. It takes twenty minutes to walk from my house to the meeting place. It’s ten o’clock now, which means I need to leave the house at eleven forty. If I’ve just woken up at ten, then it’s already time to start getting ready. It’s good if I’ve fully woken up—then I won’t fall asleep again. During the first hour I should get myself in order. It’s a good idea to turn on some music or the radio right away; getting ready in the morning in complete silence is very depressing. Music also distracts from unnecessary thoughts and reduces the number of “sluggish” states, when you sit down and start thinking about something for ten minutes or begin doing something you’re not supposed to be doing. It’s also nice if I left half a mug of coffee for myself the night before; in the morning it can be very convenient to drink some cooled coffee—it helps wake me up too.

Next comes the morning routine first of all: wash my face, wash my hands, brush my teeth, maybe take a shower. Here comes the first danger—you can get stuck in front of the sink, warming your hands in the hot water; you might even start nodding off…

Source: How to Raise a Child Without Complexes by O. Mikhevnina