You’re late, you’re late for a very important date!
Context: For the record, context is everything. You can be late for a casual non-time-bound coffee hangout with your friends (debatable), but it’s definitely not okay to be late when you’re meeting your boss or your client to pitch the ticket to your so-called big career break, or worse, your own wedding. You may dare say that lateness is not being rude—you’re simply following your internal clock’s creative and innovative schedule, but that will only apply when you’re dealing with it by yourself. When other people are already involved? We all beg to differ.
Serial lateness isn’t just a harmless quirk; it’s a pattern that signals disregard. While everyone else respects the schedule, shows up prepared, and sacrifices comfort to be present, the person who strolls in late—again—sends a subtle message: “I’m the exception.”
But okay, let’s take a step back, maybe that’s a bit harsh. Some would say that being late doesn’t necessarily mean a person is incapable. Perhaps, they’re just selectively responsible. It all boils down to priorities. We simply make time for things we value. So, why do people develop habitual tardiness at the workplace, you ask?
Answers to that question range from utterly inexplicable, culturally induced, to mental health. But poor time management, overcommitment, and lack of discipline are often at the root of these things. If there is one thing you have full control of, it’s how you’ll manage your time. Then, we circle back to priorities. Remember, work doesn’t run on time cards, it runs on trust. It’s not time you’re wasting, it’s confidence.
So, how do we fix lateness?
Follow a Routine. Start off by having healthy sleep hygiene. Create a solid routine by either getting enough rest or sleep or planning things ahead. Early planning makes you literally ahead of everyone else.
Don’t over-commit. Some people don’t juggle. They just keep throwing balls and hope gravity forgets. Filipinos tend to have a hard time saying no, in fear of offending others. Overcommitment is the art of disappointing everyone, including yourself, one promise at a time. At work, taking on too much doesn’t mean you’re incapable. It only proves you’re afraid to say no.
Not too late to change
When you incur tardiness, what damages your reputation isn’t the time lost. It’s the message it sends to people, even yourself. No matter how good you are at what you do, people will almost always remember how you made them feel, delayed and unimportant.
It also chips away at your self-image. When you’re always rushing, apologizing, or catching up, you will start to see yourself as someone who’s always behind in time and in life. It sets a tone of chaos instead of control, and anxiety instead of confidence. That mindset can bleed into other areas of your life: work, relationships, and opportunities.
Punctuality isn’t just about discipline. It’s a sign of self-respect. You would not be able to respect and value other people’s time when you can’t value or respect yours. Don’t let tardiness kill your reputation. A change in mindset, being accountable, and preparing will show a better version of you. Not late, not rushing, just right in time.
