I determine when I need to leave work. Then I schedule a departure from the office which is two hours or more before my actual exit deadline. As usual, I get all kinds of requests for assistance at the last minute. I tell people that I am scheduled to go. But I give them an extra minute or two of help. Sometimes those minutes last for up to an hour. Since I planned ahead, I am covered.
This is not quite optimal. It only encourages people to try to deter me at the last second. But I think about it this way. Do you know some people who are habitually late? If you want them on time, you make up a meeting time which is an hour before the actual time. You build in some slack. Well that is what I am doing at work.
Now let's hope nobody gets smart to my plan. Otherwise they might start intruding on my true deadline to get out of dodge.
