“Better to be an hour early than a minute late.”

Being punctual is a simple courtesy that can be demonstrated. It shows your respect for others’ time.

After all, all parties involved have decided to allocate a part of their life to interact with you. This applies to all interactions, be it virtual or in-person.

And since we can quantify time, it’s binary. Being on time shows respect; being late shows disrespect.

That said.

Being early is easier than being on time.

Whenever a time is set, it’s rounded off to the nearest minute (e.g., 8.00 AM, 3.30 PM). So, we only have 60 seconds to be on time. Those who shows up on time arrives earlier and chooses to loiter around until the set time.

One can be early by planning. But some events, such as road accidents or internet connectivity issues, are unpredictable. And such events can cause you to be late.

Notify the organizer or the other party promptly.

And always communicate through the quickest path. If they are more responsive on email than instant messages, use email.