What if latecomers were happier?
Between those who are always early, those who are right on time and the eternal latecomers, everyone has their own relationship with punctuality. However, when you accumulate delays, you develop your sense of improvisation and your creativity, which could make you happier.
Being late the secret of well-being?
Laggards not only have a tendency to rebellion by not following social conventions, but also a different perception of time. This was demonstrated by an American experiment by asking to estimate the time elapsed without reference. The most organized and impatient suggested an average of 58 seconds while the laggards answered 77 seconds.
Our perception of time is therefore subjective and influenced by our emotions, our state of mind or our activities. Knowing how to take a step back with the notion of urgency and time can actually reduce stress and promote well-being.
Being late can also hurt
While being late is not a disease, it can be a sign of certain disorders such as ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) or certain dementias. For some people with anxiety disorders like OCDs (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders) or phobias, being late may be the result of checking out processes or an unexpected panic attack.
As for some obsessive or compulsive personalities, they may tend to be late more easily because they want to control everything. Conversely, for a narcissistic or histrionic personality, delay is a means of asserting oneself or attracting attention.
Source: Validity Evidence Linking Polychronicity and Big Five Personality Dimensions to Absence, Lateness, and Supervisory Performance Ratings, Jeffrey M. Conte et al. February 2003 Human Performance 16(2):107-129
Read more: “In Praise of Delay: Where Has the Time Gone?” by Hélène L’Heuillet, Albin Michel editions.
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