Is Your Chronic Tardiness Linked to Your 'Time Personality'?

Before getting married, Anne Kelsh worked from home and enjoyed preparing dinner for her partner, an activity she fondly referred to as her "domestic role diversion."

He expressed a preference for eating promptly at 6 p.m., which felt a bit early to Kelsh. She was willing to accommodate him until she realized that "when he said 6, he meant exactly 6 o'clock."

For Kelsh, time was more of a flexible guideline. "Eight o’clock is the time the doors open for a show, and you have to be there at 8," she said. "But dinner... dinner is just dinner, in our own home. I couldn’t grasp the strictness of that."

This difference over punctuality quickly became a recurring source of tension. Kelsh, who had struggled her whole life with timeliness, would joke, "I married you, I didn’t enlist in the army."

Meanwhile, her husband often found her lateness to appointments and meetings frustrating, viewing it as rude behavior.

Disagreements about punctuality are common, but experts suggest they often stem from deeper differences in how individuals relate to time. Social scientists have spent nearly a century studying these varied approaches to time management. In the 1950s, anthropologist Edward T. Hall introduced the concepts of "monochronic" and "polychronic" to describe contrasting cultural attitudes toward time.

Hall observed that in Northern Europe and the United States—termed "monochronic" societies—people tended to emphasize deadlines and approach tasks sequentially, completing one before starting another. In contrast, in regions like Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East—labeled "polychronic" societies—people were more comfortable switching between tasks and less rigid about adhering to strict schedules.

While Hall’s observations were originally cultural, subsequent research has shown that individual time-use styles vary significantly within societies.

Studies indicate that people are more creative, motivated, and productive when they work in a way that suits their personal time style—whether by multitasking or concentrating intensely on a single project. Understanding your own relationship with time can help reduce conflicts with others.

One way to gauge your time preferences is to notice how you react to interruptions. For example, if you’re preparing a presentation and a colleague calls to discuss something else, do you respond that you’re busy, or do you make time for what could be a 20-minute conversation?

If your instinct is to send the call straight to voicemail, you’re likely "monochronic," explains Dawna Ballard, a chronemics expert at the University of Texas at Austin. Those who manage their time as a checklist of tasks tend to be clock-focused and prioritize obligations over relationships during work hours.

"For a monochronic person, interruptions are, by definition, irritating," says Allen C. Bluedorn, emeritus management professor at the University of Missouri and author of The Human Organization of Time.

Conversely, "polychronic" individuals prioritize experiences and relationships that don’t always align perfectly with pre-set schedules. For instance, Kelsh’s cousin recently postponed a work task to spend the day hiking together during her visit. "Not all deadlines are truly urgent," she said, "so when interruptions arise that feel valuable enough, I reprioritize accordingly."

Encouraging social interactions rather than viewing them as disruptions can shift a person’s timetable, an inconvenience some are willing to accept. "If you often run late because you try to accommodate the needs of multiple people during your day, you’re polychronic," Ballard notes, who is also author of the forthcoming book Time by Design.

Mara Waller, lead researcher at Colorado State University’s business school, embraces her monochronic nature. Intense focus "allows us to dive deeply into tasks and be truly thoughtful," she said.

This approach also helps see projects through to completion: "For certain tasks, it’s highly effective because you block out everything else," Ballard added. The downside is that being too fixated on a plan can cause you to miss spontaneous opportunities, Bluedorn warns.

Waller, who studies high-pressure team dynamics, admires those who can juggle many tasks simultaneously. Years ago, during a research project, she observed air traffic controllers at what is now George Bush Intercontinental Airport on busy weekend nights, managing critical data and issuing rapid commands without losing composure. "Watching a skilled polychronic multitasker is almost like watching a ballet," she said.

Those who switch easily between tasks also tend to handle life’s chaos better. "One advantage is having a realistic view of life, so you don’t get upset when things don’t fit neatly into your schedule," Ballard said.

They’re also less likely to burn out from persisting on a single task, according to Bluedorn. A 2023 study of college students working nearly full-time showed that natural multitaskers balanced conflicting responsibilities more effectively without emotional exhaustion.

However, flexible people can become easily distracted, falling into what Bluedorn calls "unproductive dithering," and may struggle to finish what they start.

Time-use styles are preferences rather than fixed traits, Waller notes, meaning people can adopt different approaches, though they may feel less comfortable. Changing your style when needed can improve efficiency, Ballard says.

"If your goal is to build relationships, become polychronic," Ballard advises. "If your goal is to complete a task, be monochronic during a dedicated time window and eliminate distractions."

For those who organize life on a strict schedule, Ballard recommends building buffer times of up to an hour between appointments so delays don’t cause stress. Meanwhile, habitual latecomers might try scheduling appointments 30 minutes earlier than the actual time.

For compulsively punctual people frustrated by others’ delays, carrying something to do or a book can help maintain productivity while waiting. "If you don’t feel like your time is wasted, you may get less upset," Ballard said.

Ultimately, the key lies in dropping judgment. "For both personality types, it helps to recognize that not everyone perceives time the same way," Ballard emphasized.