As of the end of 2024, approximately 91 percent of adults in the U.S. owned smartphones, allowing them frequent (if not constant) access to devices that provide information pertaining to time, date, etc. However, many people still show up late to destinations, events, and get-togethers.
A recent study by Harvard Business Review determined that 40 percent of employees admit to being late to work at least once a month. While not everyone makes tardiness a habit, when a lack of punctuality trickles into other areas of life, it can impact more than simply the individuals who do not show up on time.
Dallas resident Suzanne Woodling said she always makes concerted efforts to ensure that she is punctual to wherever she is going, whether it’s a meeting, dinner, coffee chat, social event, workout, or other outing that involves individuals other than herself.
“Timeliness is a show of respect for others,” she said. “With the advent of apps that can manage travel time, the ability to be on time (especially for those of us with ADHD time blindness) is so much more manageable.”
Similar to Woodling, Dallas resident Chet MacArthur appreciates punctuality and said it is one of the most important priorities in his daily life.
“I always strive to be on time or early to everything I do,” he said. “I often experience guilt being late, as I feel it wastes everyone else’s time and is not respectful of myself.”
There can certainly be exceptions, though. Dallas-area resident Steve Bergsman said that while he understands the importance of punctuality, on-time arrival is often contingent upon what the event is, how important it is, where people are coming from, how many individuals will be there, etc. He knows that every situation is different, so he tries to consider things from all angles before he truly places a value on timeliness.
“I’m not showing up late for a wedding or a funeral,” he said. “If it’s something else, like a CrossFit or yoga class, then I may show up late on occasion if work gets in the way. It’s all about priorities and importance. If I am meeting up with someone, then I try to be early or on time. Extenuating circumstances can arise, though, that can make anyone late. So, as long as they are reasonable issues, I try to give everyone a little bit of grace.”
Some individuals are perfectly comfortable showing up to get-togethers late, while others might not do so intentionally but still make it a consistent habit for reasons that might include poor time management, family or work obligations, forgetfulness, or a number of other factors. As mentioned, while Bergsman knows that special or unexpected situations do sometimes apply, lateness can often indicate an absence of consideration of those waiting.
“I think some people truly are wrapped up in their own worlds sometimes and lack the ability to think of how their actions may impact others,” he said. “Having said that, I try to give people grace. If someone shows up late once or twice, then no worries. I can get past that. But if it becomes habitual, then I probably won’t be hanging out with that person for long, as my perception will quickly become that they don’t respect me and my time.”
MacArthur said in his experience, he has noticed that many people do not value punctuality and often don’t think it’s a big deal to arrive late or cancel plans at the last minute.
“I think people are OK with this because it is generally seen as socially acceptable since many people around us show up late,” he said. “Sometimes I feel that people do not consider how their timeliness affects others’ time.”
Woodling recognizes that there are legitimate reasons for tardiness and that the importance of arriving on time can certainly vary, depending on the event or function, and she believes that people generally are and/or make proper efforts to be punctual. She said she also knows that there are still those individuals who are not overly concerned with being somewhere at an exact time.
“In all honesty, it’s because they either don’t value the time of others, they don’t care what anyone else thinks, they care not to recognize that others are just as busy and appreciate the efforts someone else took to arrive on time, or they feel that their time is just more important and that they’re entitled to just show up when it fits their schedules,” she said.
And those schedules can certainly be jam-packed. It’s not uncommon to ask someone how he or she is doing and receive a response that includes some version of “busy.” People can find themselves with much to do but too few hours in the day, but Woodling said being busy is not an excuse to be late.
“Everyone is busy,” she said. “I’ve ended friendships and relationships with people who don’t deem time they scheduled with me a priority. I’ve seen colleagues get fired for being late. As with anything, communication is key, and setting expectations will go a long way on either side of the table.”
You make time for the things you want to make time for in life, and MacArthur said if a person said he or she would make time for an event or get-together, it’s important to show respect to others not only by showing up but showing up on time.
“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve generally gotten busier and see that life tends to get busier as you age—whether because of work, relationships, kids, etc.—so I do see where people come from when they say they are busy,” he said. “I think it’s perfectly acceptable to be busy, but if you commit to something, make sure you properly prioritize that.”
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NatNews staff members and dear readers practiced their sign language (letter N for NatNews, obvi) after eating tacos in Dallas