Can You Really Curb Your Always-Late-To-Everything Bad Habit?
When it comes to being late, it feels like a habit that is hard to break. Whether meeting up with friends, going to events, or even attending a job interview, it can be hard to make it where you want to be on time. Of course, being late now and again happens, but it can feel disrespectful when done regularly. This is because being chronically late implies you don't respect other people's time and thus negatively affects your relationships and how people see you.
However, despite this feeling like an ingrained personality trait, you have the option to break your unhealthiest habits, including being late. This can seem complicated, but if you approach the problem with a strategy, it is easy to show up on time like you originally wanted to. You will be amazed at how much you can get done if you learn to upgrade your time management skills.
Why are you always late?
Every action has a reason behind it, including why you are always late. "Some people might not be fully committed to a plan, so lateness is their way of manifesting that," explained Sirois. "Or they might feel annoyed and rushed, so being late is a subconscious way to rebel and assert their freedom." She continued to explain that your lateness could also have a direct correlation to how you feel about yourself. While being late is definitively one of the habits guaranteed to turn people off, it might be hard to cut it out if you don't even respect your own time.
By learning to see the value of doing things on time, you will be able to have a better understanding of why you need to be on time. This is all about mindset, and it can become a part of your everyday lifestyle.
Practice being on time
When it comes to being on time, it is essential to understand this is a behavior that you have adapted over time. "At some point, being late was modeled to you as acceptable behavior," Fuschia Sirois, a psychologist and professor, explains to The Cut. "And if it's what you know, you're more likely to repeat it." To change always being late, you have to approach it like a habit, and an unacceptable one at that.
To incorporate this mindset change, start with the small things. Plan your day with specific times in mind to add some structure to your day. From there, hold yourself accountable, stick to the times you set to do things, and build up your skills. As you start to get more comfortable, start making specific plans and take action to be on time. Creating smaller habits and building up can help set you on the right track to being on time.