by Wonsuh Song
We’ve all come across people who consistently arrive a few minutes late. At first glance, we assume they must be lazy or disorganized. However, it’s not always that simple. In fact, many of these individuals truly value their time and want to use every spare minute as efficiently as possible—often leading them to overshoot deadlines or scheduled appointments.
Imagine you have 30 minutes left before a meeting. Instead of leaving early and waiting around, these people think, “Why not finish a task that should take about 25 minutes?” But tasks rarely go exactly as planned. They may run into unexpected delays, so they tell themselves, “I’ve come this far; I might as well finish,” causing them to leave later than intended. As a result, they end up being late.
What’s interesting is that this doesn’t just happen for one specific event. It tends to happen for almost all appointments. Their pursuit of efficiency—using every available minute—extends to all aspects of their schedule. We usually label them as “lazy” or “irresponsible,” but ironically, they’re often the exact opposite: They dislike “wasted time” and want to be productive right up until the deadline.
The real issue is that “squeezing in just one more task” can conflict with the obligation to arrive on time. Perpetual lateness results in reputations as “someone who can’t be punctual” or “someone who’s always late.” Meanwhile, the motivation behind their lateness is an honest attempt to maximize productivity, which makes the habit hard for them to recognize, let alone break.
A first step toward breaking this cycle is to realize that trying too hard to optimize every spare minute directly clashes with the responsibility to be punctual. Being on time is also a form of social efficiency—demonstrating respect for others’ time as well as your own. Ultimately, valuing everyone’s time can foster deeper trust and stronger relationships over the long run.
One practical step is to show up a bit earlier and use those extra minutes to reset your mind or plan for upcoming tasks. It may initially feel like “wasted time,” but this small buffer can provide mental clarity and reduce stress, potentially making you more productive overall.
People who are always late aren’t necessarily lazy or careless. Their desire to make the most of every moment just happens to backfire when it comes to punctuality. By consciously allowing for a small margin of unstructured time, we can create more flexibility in our schedules, build greater reliability, and perhaps even discover some unexpected benefits in those few minutes of calm.
—This column is written to represent the mindset and circumstances of those who tend to be late to every appointment.—
Wonsuh Song (Ph.D.)
Lecturer at Shumei University / NKNGO Forum Representative
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