My name is Sabrina and I am always 15 minutes late. Yup, I’m finally admitting it. If you are this person or you have a friend who is – this post is for you. Sometimes I write what I need to say but this post is something that I needed to hear.
Dear fellow tardy party,
I know that you hate being late. In fact, you wish you were one of those people who were always early to things. You think that you’ve planned your day out well. You are sure that you are going to make it to everything on time – hey! Maybe even early? But then it hit’s you. Something goes wrong and you are in the car at that red light (because you always get every red when you are late, thanks universe) and the clock is going up and your heart starts to beat faster. You hate feeling this way. It’s a fundamental character flaw that you are not proud of, but here’s the thing – it’s okay and you’re just fine.
You are not late because you are lazy.
You are not late because you are inconsiderate.
You are not late because you don’t respect people’s time.
In fact, it’s the opposite.
You are just doing too much.
Chronically running late can be tied to optimism and the necessity to multitask at home and in your personal life. Sure you can walk the dog, make breakfast and pick up a prescription all before your 9 AM meeting! No problem! While excessive multitasking can be cause for concern it’s usually that you think that you are biting off more than you can actually chew.
While the world will tell you that punctuality goes hand in hand with professional success, research has shown that chronically late people tend to be more creative and carry many positive personality traits that lead to success. See, it gets better.
As if the self-guilt wasn’t bad enough, disappointing your friends and family always seems to be the cherry on top. Here’s the thing – they are usually not mad because you are late, rather that you just kept them waiting! Here are some tips if you are the person who’s always late or have a friend that fits the bill.
Give Yourself A Buffer
I always put my appointments in my phone calendar 15 minutes earlier than the actual time that it is, given that I’m always 15 minutes late. If I have an appointment at 11:30, I always put it in my calendar at 11:15. Same goes for making plans with friends. Dinner at 8? Nope, 8:15 please!
Text Before They Leave
Again, it’s usually that your friends and family don’t like to wait around so let them know to text you before they leave the house to make sure you are running on schedule. Friends: if this is you, no passive-aggressive texts either! A friendly, “hey still on for 12:15?” will work just fine. If you need a few more minutes, this is your shot to let them know, “hey, actually 12:30 works better- thanks for checking!”
Related Post: How To Gracefully Handle A Friend Breakup
Be Humble
Whether intentional or not, keeping people waiting is universally rude (although commonly accepted as CPT). Don’t be afraid to apologize when you have inconvenienced someone and explain to your friends and family that you are actively trying to be better. Once more recently then I care to admit, I actually walked into a party and said: “I’m sorry for being late, it’s who I am as a person” – insert shrug emoji here.
Your “can-do” attitude is probably one of the best things about you, so don’t change that! Surround yourself with loved ones who understand your plight and actively try to be more considerate of other people’s time. I know you’re working on it and I’m here for you sista – we will do it together.
