The Tardiness Quiz

September/October 2008 Issue | Posted by Melissa Hartog in Mind Games

Are you chronically late?

Sick of the panicked, helpless rush? Here are questions to help.

STEP ONE: Look at yourself.

Lay down on the psychologist’s couch. Your attitude toward your tardiness is the first thing to look at. Which of these statements best describes you?

A. I’m fine. I’m always at my desk before 10, in Mass before the Gospel, at parties when people are actually there and talking.

B. I’m shocked when I often find myself late. I look at the little digital clock on the dashboard and wince.

C. Next time I’ll be fine. I always say that, but everything takes longer than I expect.

Depending on your answer, you are …

A. In denial. You are always late. Everyone knows it. Everyone treats you differently because of it. Say it out loud: “I am [ name ], and I am a late-o-holic!”

B. Blissfully ignorant. You either have a bunch of clocks telling you different times, and so you disregard them all, or you only have a clock in your bedroom, and don’t see it for most of the morning. Putting an accurately set clock in your bathroom will change your life!

C. Willfully ignorant. You once got to church in 12 minutes, which you called “10 minutes.” Now this 20-minute drive is set in your mind as taking half that time. Maybe you were able to get ready in 20 minutes when you were single, but you aren’t anymore. Reassess how much time these tasks take.

STEP TWO: Look at your starting line.

Are you starting from the right line, and starting when the gun goes off? Let’s look at your morning attitude. What best describes you?

A. Restarting the starting gun. I need sleep or I’m cranky. So, I grab a few extra zzzs in the morning. The snooze button was invented for a reason!

B. Lingering in the locker room. Picking out the right outfit takes time. It means trying one on, looking in the mirror, asking advice from the family.

C. Warming up the muscles. Runners need to stretch first. Well, I need some time to get going, too. I need to read messages. See what’s on. Let my brain warm up. You know, get myself going.

Depending on your answer, you are a …

A. Snooze-and-loser. Wake up when you’re supposed to wake up. Don’t hit the snooze button. As a saint once said, “How do you expect to win the war if you surrender the first battle?”

B. Sartorial slacker. Choose and set out your clothes the night before!

C. Time trapper. Checking email, glancing at the Internet, and watching morning TV waste enormous amounts of time. A better way to get going is to actually, you know, get going.

STEP THREE: Identify the obstacles.

Just what is it that makes you late?

A.I hate being early. Time is important. That’s why I don’t like to waste it by waiting. I’d rather be a little late than be bored.

B. I have no idea what makes me late. Seriously have none!

C. Side trips. Every morning I have to seek out lost shoes, lost keys, lost documents, lost cell phones, etc.

Depending on your answer, you are …

A. The Great, Late Wonderful One. Don’t be one of the people the rest of us have to wait for because you’re too good to wait! Rather, be early. Even 15 minutes early. Bring a book or work.

B. A Clueless Coaster. Make a note of what needs to be done to get out of the house. Assign each task a time. You’ll discover what’s going wrong as you adjust it.

C. Messy and Stressy. Being disorganized means being anxious and late. Start by putting your morning necessities in a set place.

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