The Struggles of Being Perpetually Late

To the people who demonstrate impeccable time management, arrive at all social events early, begin and finish projects ahead of time--I applaud you. I admire you. For some, being punctual is no big deal. For the rest of us, promptness is a constant battle. Here are some struggles that only people who are perpetually late understand.

You never seem to have enough time to get ready.

It doesn't matter if you get up a half hour before you have to leave, or two hours. Somehow, time slips away from you, and suddenly you find that you only have five minutes to find clothes, do your hair, put on makeup, and find wherever your left shoe went.

When someone asks for your ETA, you give them an optimistic and very unrealistic answer.

All of your friends know that when you say "I'll be there at 5," what you really mean is, "I'll be there by 5:30. Probably." They've gotten so used to you showing up late, they aren't even ready when you do manage to show up on time.

Sometimes, speed limits are more like suggestions.

You're confident that if you speed, just a little bit, you might be able to get to work on time. But you invariably get stuck in traffic, or behind the guy going ten miles under the speed limit (though it's probably safer that way). And while you're glaring down the red traffic light, you swear to yourself that tomorrow, for once, you'll leave earlier. You go through this same routine pretty much every morning.

You have a list of 100+ excuses at the ready when you DO finally arrive.

I got stuck by a train. There was an accident on the highway. My roommate blocked me in, and I couldn't leave until she moved her car. You take pride in the fact that your excuses are all relatively plausible. All of them make it sound like you were the victim of unfortunate circumstance... but everyone probably knows that your lateness was entirely your own fault.

Of course, we should all try to be a little more conscious of how we spend our time. to many people, promptness is a great indicator of work ethic, so it's important to be on time for work and other responsibilities. But ultimately, it's the little moments that perpetually late people enjoy that makes that hectic, anxiety-riddled commute worth it. That extra five minutes spent in the shower, or that ten-minute heart-to-heart with a roommate before you head out the door can make the difference between a good day, and a great day. Be aware of your time, but don't forget to stop and enjoy the tiny, happy instants.