Chronic lateness can be frustrating for the people left waiting, and create stress, anxiety and increased irritability for those struggling to arrive on time. Most people who are late do not want to be late. Lateness is much more complex than acting selfish or inconsiderate. Chronically late people feel they have no control over their inability to calculate and manage their time.
Studies have shown that people who are always late generally struggle with self-control issues such as impulse shopping, frequent binge drinking and unceasing procrastination. There are, however, strategies that can curb your lateness and help you get to your destination on time and free of stress.
Re-evaluate Time. It’s easy to underestimate the time it takes to do something. You may think it only takes 10 minutes to get to work but in reality it takes 12 minutes, so you are consistently 2 minutes late. You estimate it takes an hour to shower, fix your hair, put makeup on and get dressed; but what about the extra 20 minutes of inevitable distractions. To re-evaluate just how long it takes to do everything you have to do before you leave the house, write down the time it actually takes to do them. That way your estimations will be far more accurate and you can start leaving on time.
Plan to arrive 15 minutes early. 15 minutes gives you enough time to get stuck at lengthy stoplights or have trouble finding a parking spot. When you aren’t rushing to get somewhere you will be happier and have less anxiety.
Care for yourself. If you are constantly late because you are always going from one place to another, then it may be your busy schedule that needs to be adjusted. Not only does over scheduling cause you to be late, it also damages our emotional, physical and mental health. It is important to give yourself that chance to relax, relieve stress and breathe. We must learn how to say no to additional obligations when we find ourselves overwhelmed, stressed and unable to leave enough time between each commitment.
