The real reasons people may struggle with time

Russell Barkley, a retired clinical neuropsychologist at the University of Massachusetts, is often credited with linking time impairment with people with ADHD or autism. In 1997, he called it ‘temporal myopia’.

But recently, time blindness has sparked a social media debate: Where is the line between a genuine condition and someone who is disorganised or just plain rude?

WHEN ARRIVING LATE MEANS MORE

Time blindness is the inability to determine how long a task will take or conceptualise how much time has passed. It relates to executive function that occurs in the frontal lobes of the brain, and it is a well-documented characteristic of many people with ADHD, said Stephanie Sarkis, a psychotherapist in Tampa Bay, Florida.

“Anyone can have issues with running late, just [that] with ADHD there’s functional impairment,” said Sarkis, author of 10 Simple Solutions to Adult ADD. “It impacts family life and social life. It impacts work, money management, all areas of life.”

Sarkis said if a person’s chronic tardiness is “one star in the constellation of symptoms”, then it could be evidence of a treatable disorder. She cited research that stimulant medication prescribed for other ADHD symptoms, such as inattention or restlessness, is also effective in treating time blindness.

That’s not to say, however, that everyone who is chronically late has ADHD — or a built-in excuse.

CONSIDER THE REASON FOR BEING LATE

Jeffrey Meltzer, a therapist in Bradenton, Florida, counsels people who never show up on time to examine the core issue behind their lateness.

Some people who hate small talk fear arriving early, which could point to anxiety as the underlying issue, Meltzer said. Others may feel they don’t have much control over their lives, so they try to reclaim a few minutes from responsibilities.

“It’s the same psychology concept behind revenge bedtime procrastination,” he said, referring to the urge one may have to stay up later to recoup personal time after a busy day.

In those cases, one tool is to create a small ‘coping card’ to refer to regularly, he said. After determining a reason for chronic lateness, take an index card and write down a reframed thought about that reason and a consequence of being late.

For instance, on one side write, “Attending this meeting doesn’t mean that I lose my freedom.” On the other side, write: “Being late again will upset people at work.”

Meltzer said the hardest reason to change the habit would be something that early arrivers often attribute to latecomers — a sense of entitlement. People who feel their time is more important than others’ time may give themselves permission to be late.

But Meltzer said those people would also exhibit entitlement in other areas, such as parking in a spot designated for people with disabilities or tending to make a grand entrance at an event.

“Maybe they’re 20, 30 minutes late, and it’s like, ‘Oh, look who is here,’” he said. “So it’s a way to kind of get attention.”

lifestyle@gleanerjm.com

4 TIPS TO AVOID LATENESS

1. Use a smartwatch to set alerts, such as when you need to leave. Having analogue clocks around also helps. Relying only on your phone to see the time creates more distractions.

2. Break tasks down into a checklist of smaller parts and resist the urge to cram too many activities into one day.

3. Practise giving yourself much more time than you think you need. A time management app may also be useful, or one that helps to improve focus and concentration.

4. Make granular lists of each task and how long it takes to see exactly how much time you need.