We all know someone who is always running late. We are not talking about the occasional traffic jam or the unforeseen events. Being late not only doesn’t look good professionally, but it also makes you seem disorganized, disinterested, and disrespectful.
The habit of repeatedly being late stems from issues with perception of time and time management. Some extreme cases may be symptomatic of ADHD, depression, OCD, and social anxiety. There are also certain types of personalities that are more prone to being chronically late, such as perfectionists, crisis-makers, defiers, and dreamers.
Contributing factors for those who are time-challenged include:
Distorted sense of time or time blindness where your internal clock is off, usually over or under estimating the time needed.
Being inattentive, impulsive, self-centered, careless, absent-minded, easily distracted, forgetful, or bored.
Some can’t function without getting that adrenalin rush and being hyped up.
Disorganized, multitasking, inability to say no, over-scheduling, procrastination, poor self-control, feeling overwhelmed, lack of focus, poor social skills, or wrestling with some other deep-seated problems like stress and anxiety.
It could be a cultural norm where being laid back and late is common, a lack of empathy, or being conscientious.
Being passively aggressive, engaging in power plays that suggest your time is more important than the people waiting.
Whether the reasons are deliberate or subconscious, the main way to address constant tardiness is to find the root causes and figure out some strategic tricks to stay on track.
Set up alarms on your phone 10-30 minutes before your appointments to act as a buffer and help structure your time and schedule. Also, learn how to set realistic goals and prioritize.
Chronic tardiness can affect your relationships and have an impact on your reputation as not being reliable or trustworthy. Save yourself the time, energy, and annoyances by valuing other people’s time as much as your own.
Gotta run now; catch ya later.
Antoinette Giacobbe M.A.
