Wednesday, May 30, 2007

~Latecomers~

I'm well-known for being a latecomer.
I'm always late for practically everything.
Yes. I know, it's a bad habit.
But you've been dealing with the fact all your life that you sort of get used to it.

And today, I came across this very mind-awakening article in New Straits Time.
And since I have not been blogging about something smart for such a long time, I'm going to write about this article.
(Well, more to extracting what's in the article and putting it in here.)

I always hated being late.
It's horrible, stressful and upsetting.
And most people hate latecomers, because they think that latecomers are arrogant, power-tripping or simply disrespectful of other people's time.
Which is bizarrely untrue till you put it that way.

Based on a study by the delivery company Parceline Chronopost International,
British people are more intolerant of lateness than any other nation.
While, Japanese on the other hand are the most forbearing, waiting up to 30 minutes with a smile.
(Then, which category do Malaysians fall into?)

But we, late people are not being arrogant - we're in hell.
We are constantly stressed, rushed and miserable.
Icy hands clutch at our innards as time ticks by and we realise that we're getting later and later.
Like when I rushed to school after I left the house at 7.05 am when school starts at 7.15 am.
Or when I leave tuition at 5 pm when class starts at 5 pm.

So, why do I get myself in all these trouble?
Why don't I just pull myself together? After all, how hard can it be to show up on time?
(Now here's the best part coming!)

According to Dian DeLonzor, a time-management consultant and the author of
'Never Be Late Again : 7 Cures for The Punctually Challenged',
it can be rather difficult.
"Telling a late person just to be on time is like telling a dieter to simply stop eating so much,"
(which does not even make sense at the first place)
"Though it may seem a simple matter of people being rude, it's far more complex. It really is more than a matter of poor management of time.It tends to be a lifelong pattern. It's something that goes across activities : most late people are late for everything."
"Contrary to popular belief, it's really not about being selfish or believing their time is less important than yours,"

DeLonzor, who studied lateness with the help of psychologists at San Francisco State University,
has found that it is associated with certain personality traits.
Among other things, the team found that punctuality-challenged people often share common characteristics, including:
  • anxiety
  • being messy
  • easily distracted
  • perfectionist habits
  • low levels of self-control
  • a penchant for thrill-seeking
  • procrastination
  • liking to fill every minutes with activity
  • slightly shy
  • find social gatherings rather intimidating thus unconsciously put off the moment of arrival
  • have a totally unrealistic idea of what I can accomplish in given time
(I have all the characteristics mentioned above. Should I freak out now?)

Studies suggest that habitually late people actually perceive time differently from other people.
"People who are late tend to misjudge the time needed to accomplish even those things they've done hundreds of times, like getting dressed for work,"says DeLonzor.
This is due to what she calls magical thinking - eternal optimism even in the presence of contradictory evidence.
"It's the unshakable ability to belive you can drive the 16km to work in 7 minutes flat."

Poor time-reception, lateness, and impulsiveness are symptoms of certain conditions,
including Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and these are associated by low levels of dopamine.
It is possible, the researchers suggest, that late people might have a mild brain abnormalities that are similar to those in ADHD.

Ironically, most late people have a strong aversion to waiting.
It makes them feel at a loss.
But, whatever the reasons for lateness, DeLonzor is convinced that, with the right amount of will and effort, it will be possible for those late people to change their ways.

Recipe for Destroying Lateness :
  • Not 'Deadlining' - Plan to be 15 minutes early, and take a book or a paper so, if by a miracle I am early, I can treat myself to a chapter of a novel or a cup of coffee.
  • Boy Scout-style, Be Prepared - do everything before. Like sorting out clothes the night before.
  • Banish belief that it is pointless to do anything before one absolutely have to.

Plan to be early :
  1. Stop doing everything at the last minute
  2. Buy petrol before tank is empty
  3. Don't start blow-drying your hair two minutes before you have to leave the house
  4. Pay bills on the day you get them
  5. Don't plan to be on time, plan to be 15 minutes early.
  6. Take a book or some work with you to fill any waiting time.
  7. Make a daily plan, with a written schedule of your activities with estimates for start and end times. This helps you to see what you really have time for. The lateness guru Diana DeLonzor says that most late people underestimate how long it takes to complete tasks by about 30 per cent (that's a lot)
  8. Create individual matras, such as " It won't get any easier in five minutes," instead of hitting the snooze alarm for the fifth time (eh, how did she knows I always do that?)
  9. Get more tips and advice from Diana DeLonzor at www.neverbelateagain.com
XOXO,
Khadi TRY not to be late anymore.

P.S : Special thanks to Leah Hardy, Dian DeLonzor and New Straits Time.
P.P.S : I'm getting a new haircut next Thursday. Planning to go for something really really short. But I love my hair. See first la how.
P.P.P.S : Aisha confirms today that I have a thing for gay guys. Thanks to the fact that the oh-so-cute Gerard from MCR is gay (too! with all other cute guys.)
Since when did all cute guys turn gay?
Hello! I'm still single. I need YOU!


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