Why am I late everywhere?: How to stop being late?

Being late is a trend that some people can’t refuse. Many factors can contribute to this trend, including time perception, time management, and personality. We all know people who are always late. Whether it’s lunch or a business meeting; they never arrive on time. So is there a logical explanation for why some people are always late? Is being late a disease?

Psychology of being late: Why am I late everywhere?

• Hugo Spears Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London “Perhaps there is a mechanism in the brain that makes some people arrive late because they underestimate the time it takes to get to a meeting.” speaks. Spiers says the hippocampus is the region of the brain that processes certain aspects of time, such as remembering when to do something and how long it will take. A 2017 study published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience suggests that neurons in the hippocampus that act as “time cells” contribute to our perception and memory of events, but it’s not entirely clear why some people consistently underestimate time.
• One factor that may contribute to this may be how familiar we are with the area in question. In his 2017 study, Spears asked 20 students who had just moved to London to create a map of their university area and estimate travel times to different destinations. Students’ territory scores widened as they knew the region well, while travel time scores narrowed as they got to know each other. This is where the spiers start “If you are very familiar with any area, you start to ignore the possible difficulties” speaks.
• People who are consistently late may not account for the time it takes to complete tasks such as getting ready in the morning. Another study published in the journal Memory & Cognition suggests that we make some time estimates based on how long we think these tasks took in the past, but our memories and perceptions are not always accurate.
• Another factor that causes people to be late everywhere is the crowd. In a 2022 study published in the journal Virtual Reality, researchers asked participants to rate the duration of simulated subway rides with and without people. In the end, they found that crowded commutes were thought to take 10% longer than less intense commutes, and this was associated with an unpleasant experience.
• As we mentioned earlier, one of the reasons for constant lateness can be personality. Experts say that certain personality traits can make some people forget about the tasks they have planned in advance.
• Another factor that can affect a person’s punctuality is their tendency to multitask. A study published in the journal Advances in Cognitive Psychology found that people who multi-task are less likely to remember and complete other scheduled tasks on time. Thus, even the best-laid plans can fail because we don’t have enough attention resources to carry them out successfully.
• In addition, when there is no deadline, people often do not understand how time flies. A 2019 review published in the journal Medical Science Monitor found that people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may have trouble processing information and predicting the passage of time.
• Finally, some people struggle to make it on time and end up late because they intentionally “postpone” tasks. So being constantly late could be a symptom of “constant procrastination.” And procrastination often arises from a complex emotional relationship to a task. Here it is useful to emphasize the difference between procrastination and delay. While procrastination has more to do with us, procrastination can affect our relationships with others. People who understand that we are constantly late are probably important to us, so we can offend them when we tell them that we will be on time, but in fact this does not happen.

you too “Why am I late everywhere” If so, you can try to think of the above possibilities. However, there are of course some things you can do to be more punctual.

What to do in order not to be late?

What can people who are constantly late do to get to meetings on time and not disappoint their loved ones? Whatever the reason, there are ways to overcome chronic tardiness. Here are some science-based tips.

1. If the reason for constant delays is time management:

Find out why you are late

Firstly Where Keep track of delays. In this way, you will begin to see patterns and learn to prepare for them. Later How many Keep track of delays. If you are always late at the same time, the reason may be psychological. If it changes, you may have time management issues.

Admit you can’t predict the time

Of course, you are not the only one who is not good at this. On average, people underestimate how long a task will take by up to 40%. Are you chronically late? So in your case it’s probably higher.

The solution is simple. Estimate the duration of your routine tasks for two weeks and count with a timer. Yes, it will be boring. You will also be surprised how many incorrect predictions you make. For non-routine tasks, breaking down an activity into very detailed steps can help you estimate more accurately how long it will take.

check the time

Watch control always helps to improve punctuality. Scientists at the University of Washington gave people a distraction task and asked them to press the Z key every 5 minutes. Young people did better as they looked at their watches more often as the target time approached. Older people, as a rule, did not increase their control. So what should we conclude from this? If you think you are old enough to guess how long it will take 5 minutes, you are wrong. Put aside your pride and check your watch often when necessary.

use wrist watch

A 2015 study in PeerJ magazine found that watch wearers are more attentive and show up to appointments much earlier. Okay, but why?

• Dressed cognition means that you think and act according to what you are wearing. For example, if you are wearing a watch, your brain “I must be the one who is aware of time” will say.
• The clock makes it easy to check the time, so you’re more likely to do so. If you’re new to wearing a watch, you can still look at your phone to check the time. If so, train yourself to take care of your wrist. Unlike your phone, checking the time on your wrist won’t distract you.

2. If the reason for constant delays is psychological:

Determine your personality type

Psychologist Linda Sapadin identified the four chronically late personality types as follows and suggested some corrections for each:

• Perfectionist: Of those who cannot leave the house without checking if everything is in order.
  What to do?: Set realistic goals and accept your shortcomings. Be an optimist, not a perfectionist.
• Crisis Maker: The type of person who feeds on the pressure of adrenaline, including the pressure of time.
  What to do?: Look for adrenaline elsewhere. For example, try an exciting sport.
• Challenger: The type of person who hates being told what to do.
  What to do?: Define your battles. This may be your battle against pernicious social norms, but being there on time is not one of them.
• Dreamer: The type of person who is overly optimistic about how long it will take to complete something.
  What to do?: Admit it, he doesn’t have super speed. Give yourself enough time, even if you’re sure you won’t need it.

change your attitude

• Learn to say no. We often end up going where we don’t really want to. If you’re consistently late to work because of this, it might be time to look for a new job.
• Activate reward neurons. Plan to get to your destination early and find something interesting while you wait.
• Make deadlines non-negotiable, just like you promised yourself.
• Be a man of your word. – Will I arrive on time? Instead of saying “I have to catch up and I will catch up,” say.
• Stop thinking of yourself as “the person who is late for everything.” When you allow it, you are telling your subconscious mind to be late. Instead, consciously tell yourself, “I used to be late everywhere. But now I’m working on it.

Sources: livescience, realmenrealstyle, Washingtonpost.