If you’re a late person, I’m positive someone has already told you to move your clocks forward or to try arriving 15 minutes early, so you reach where you’re going on time. Evans confirms this advice isn’t just a preachy myth but is truly helpful. She adds: “Instead of leaving everything to the nth degree, plan ahead. If you struggle when deciding what to wear, think about your outfit the night before and leave it out. This makes the process of leaving feel less daunting.”

I can’t help but feel validated when hearing this. Often, the mental gymnastics of finding the perfect dress for an occasion keeps me from getting off the bed and starting the process of getting ready. I’d rather stay safe and comfortable with my emotional support pillow than try on five pieces of clothing that probably don’t fit me quite so well anymore. Dr Sona Kaur, psychologist at Serenity Psychology Services, urges me to dig deeper into this reasoning that inadvertently frames my lateness. “Many people procrastinate or delay starting something as an avoidance tactic,” she says. “Ask yourself: what are you trying to put off? Is there any personal or social anxiety associated with this plan? Are you hoping the other person cancels?”

I find myself sheepishly nodding. Beyond the stress of finding what to wear, the friend meet-ups that are hardest for me to reach in time are the ones on weekdays after work. As a journalist, so much of my job is speaking to other people – either in interviews or over emails – that I often exhaust my social battery during office hours. I still yearn to hang out with my friends over glasses of wine but I need more time between the end of my working day and the start of a plan.

“I’m chronically late everywhere – here’s why I need to change”