Credit: Getty/Westend61
Health
Time blindness: is this the real reason you’re always running late?
By Faima Bakar
Updated 3 years ago
1 min read
Time blindness is more common in people with ADHD. It might explain some people’s lateness.
Most of us have that one chronically late friend (or maybe we are that friend), who, for all their efforts, can’t seem to make it to gatherings, events or even work on time.
Sure, their tardiness might become a perennial gag among the group, but it can also be hurtful if someone is perpetually late and appears to place a higher value on their own time than yours. However, lateness isn’t always carelessness, and the person might be making a genuine attempt to arrive on time.
They might even have something called time blindness. Time blindness is the difficulty or inability to sense time passing, so for them, it might not feel like time has actually passed, meaning they may struggle with punctuality.
It’s not just a character quirk; in some cases, it can be a symptom of neuro-developmental disorders, including attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism. But people without these conditions can still experience time blindness.
While many of us have an innate clock that lets us know how long it’s been since we turned the kettle on, or can sense when the bathtub might overflow, some people struggle with this perception of time.
People with ADHD might fare the worst with time blindness, though, and occupational therapist Zara Harris says people with this condition experience more job changes than the general population, citing time-keeping as the number one cause.
Symptoms of time blindness include:
- Losing track of time because of distractions
- Feeling like you don’t have a good ‘internal clock’
- Poor time management
- Impulsivity
- Boredom
- Losing track of time during transitions
- Procrastination
While there’s no real cure for time blindness, there are some things you can do to better manage your time.
According to the experts at Choosing Therapy, some of the ways to navigate this condition are to:
Identify and avoid time-sucking activities
If you know that agreeing to an activity is going to cost you time you don’t have, it’s OK to refuse. You might also end up doing things that you don’t realise cost you time. This might be getting carried away on your phone or with your beauty regime. In these instances, maybe put your phone away (leave it on charge to kill two birds with one stone) while you get ready or wash your hair the day before, get out all the products you need and have your outfit ready before you start getting ready.
Set multiple alarms
Alarms and/or reminders with descriptions are a helpful way to not only remind you what you need to do but also to motivate you. Make your reminders fun and engaging, and call out any unhelpful behaviours. This could look like setting a reminder that says: “Sara, you don’t have time for this; put your phone away and get back on track.”
Break up intimidating tasks
If you feel like you have a lot on your plate and a lot to remember, it may help to break it all up. For example, have a plan for morning, afternoon and evening tasks.
You may also like
The great late debate: are you an early person or always late?
Use visible timers
It’s not just children who can benefit from visible timers that show them how long they have to play or do their work. Adults can use them too. You might have a whiteboard at home or Post-it notes. Or use your phone – anything that shows you what you’re supposed to be doing. Then you’ll have the added benefit of being able to tick it off your list or, for Post-it notes, tear it off the wall.
Start with something easy
Being able to cross one or two small tasks off your list is rewarding and motivating. So start small and build your way up to what needs doing. That way, the task you have to do won’t feel so large anymore.
Embrace it and tell others about it
People might have trouble excusing lateness, but they’ll be more understanding about a health disorder (unless they’re crappy people). So tell your loved ones or even your employer you might struggle with time-keeping, but that you’ll make it up. This might mean making an extra effort to be on time for special days, or staying back a little longer when you’re unacceptably late.
You may also like
ADHD: “The liberation of being diagnosed as a 30-year-old woman”
Images: Getty/Westend61
Sign up for the latest news and must-read features from Stylist, so you don’t miss out on the conversation.
By signing up you agree to occasionally receive offers and promotions from Stylist. Newsletters may contain online ads and content funded by carefully selected partners. Don’t worry, we’ll never share or sell your data. You can opt-out at any time. For more information read Stylist’s Privacy Policy
Thank you!
You’re now subscribed to all our newsletters. You can manage your subscriptions at any time from an email or from a MyStylist account.