Simple Solutions: Ultimate guide to being on time

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Are you in a constant battle with the clock? Being perpetually late can affect your work and social life.

About 15 to 20 percent of Americans say they're consistently late to appointments and meetings. One mistake latecomers make: they underestimate the amount of time it takes to complete tasks.

Another problem: multitasking. People who don't like to waste time often want to squeeze in as many tasks as possible, but the result is usually running out of time.

Another problem: if you're more "type b," you might perceive time differently.

One study found type "A" people tended to estimate a minute had passed after 58 seconds, while type "B" people perceived a minute to be 77 seconds.

To break the cycle, make being prompt a priority.

Try a time-keeping app to help you schedule your day. You can also use an old-fashioned timer to keep you on track. Write down how long tasks should take and stick to your limits.

Instead of multi-tasking, you might want to try "cluster-tasking."

That's doing related tasks at the same time every day, such as checking email and making calls in one block of time.

These are a few ways to help you fix your late tendencies.