Constantly running late is not an excusable behavior. Constantly running late is your choice for which you alone are responsible. So what can you do?
First, accept your personal responsibility for your problem.
Next, break the problem down into specific behaviors such as sleeping too late, finishing one more thing, underestimating travel time, misplacing essential items, disorganization in your house, meetings that run longer than planned, affecting others negatively and postponing destinations and tasks you dread.
Psychologists say that if you face the same issue repeatedly, there’s probably an identifiable problem — and once you identify it, you can develop strategies to solve it. Being late is just such a problem. Therapy can help, but so can discipline and being honest with yourself about your behavior.
Life is in the details. Pick one problem and change your behavior. Go to bed earlier and don’t call it sleep. Call it rest. If you lay quietly in the dark, your body from the neck down does not know the difference between sleep and rest. Organize your house. Hold yourself accountable to maintain the organization, and hold others accountable to maintain your organization and their own organization. If you are running a meeting, set a timer where everyone can see it. The motion to adjourn has already been seconded and passed when the timer rings. Consider others. Would you hire someone who is chronically late? Would you invite someone to be on your committee if you knew they were chronically late? Why are you choosing to act this way?
To learn more about the common reasons for being late, read Gretchen Rubin’s article, Chronically Late? 8 reasons for Being Late & How to Beat Them from the World of Psychology.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What steps can I take to stop being late?
- To stop being late, recognize it as a personal responsibility and break it down into specific behaviors you can change. This includes going to bed earlier, organizing your home, and being honest about how long tasks take. Setting timers during meetings and holding yourself and others accountable can also help.
- How does being late affect my relationships and work?
- Being late can negatively impact relationships and work by demonstrating a lack of consideration for others' time. It may lead others to view you as unreliable, affecting job prospects or committee selections. Being punctual shows respect and professionalism.
- Can therapy help with chronic lateness?
- Yes, therapy can help address chronic lateness by identifying underlying problems and developing strategies to manage time better. Discipline and self-awareness are also important in overcoming habitual tardiness.
- What are some common behaviors associated with being late?
- Common behaviors include sleeping too late, trying to finish one more task, underestimating travel time, misplacing items, and having meetings running longer than planned. Identifying these can help in developing strategies to manage time better.
Sources
- I asked an organisational psychologist how to stop being late all the ... (ensemblemagazine.co.nz)Jun 20, 2024 ... Putting aside mental illness as the reason for my being late, I ask Dr Amanda how she'd figure out why I have such a maddening inability to ever ...
- IWTL how to stop being late for everything. : r/IWantToLearn (reddit.com)May 15, 2014 ... 50 votes, 47 comments. Title sums it up, got written up at work (long time coming) for being late, all my fault of course.