Why are we running late and how to deal with it

Over-optimism is the reason for all delays

If you are one of those who are convinced that the show will still start not at 19:00, but at 19:08, that you will definitely have time to drink a cup of coffee before getting on the train, or that you will get to the desired place faster than written in Google Maps, then, most likely, you are also often late.

While there is nothing wrong with being optimistic, it often leads us to overestimate expectations. Moreover, we overestimate not only the time it takes to get from point A to point B, but also the number of things that we can do in a day.

We are too optimistic about our capabilities.

If today we manage to get to work in 25 minutes, the next day it starts to seem to us the norm. But expecting to get there just as quickly tomorrow, we will most likely be late and earn ourselves extra stress, because we cannot foresee everything in advance.

It's the same with work. We make to-do lists every day and never complete them entirely. We scold ourselves for having completed only half of our plans. However, all this does not mean that we did not work well: we simply were too optimistic about our capabilities.

No amount of time management tricks will add an extra hour a day, you just need to learn to count on the fact that your half-hour meeting will drag on for 45 minutes, and several urgent tasks will fall on you during the day.

Two simple tips to stop being late

If you constantly feel guilty about being late, don't despair: it's not that you're an incorrigible selfish person and don't value other people's time. Your only mistake is hoping that everything will go according to plan.

You don't have to become a pessimist to break this habit. You just need to admit that you are not a superman who can do everything. Then less time will be spent on self-flagellation and more time on life itself.

Always plan your commute or activities with reserve time in mind. For example, Greg McKeon, author of the bestselling book Essentialism, advises you to increase your travel time by half when planning to take into account all possible delays. It is better to arrive earlier, but if something delays you on the way, you do not have to worry.
It is very important to evaluate what exactly you are spending your time on. If you never finish your to-do list for the day, try writing down how long different things take up. The same e-mail, for example, can take up to 25% of the working time. And next time, plan your day based on real time costs. You can also try different ways of distributing time, for example, the Pomodoro method.

Of course, you cannot predict the future, but you can prepare for it.

Optimism should not be an excuse for being constantly late. Better direct him to be kinder to yourself and not expect the impossible from yourself.