The Art of Being Late: A Step-by-Step Guide

CJ Crisp
2 min readDec 21, 2022

--

There is an art to being late that, when mastered, can make you appear fashionable and carefree, rather than disorganized and unreliable. Here is a step-by-step guide to mastering the art of being late:

Step 1: Choose your events wisely

Not every event is worth being on time for. If it’s a casual get-together with friends or a business meeting that isn’t particularly important, it’s okay to be a little late. On the other hand, if it’s a formal event or a job interview, it’s best to be on time.

Step 2: Use the “five-minute rule”

If you’re running behind schedule, try to arrive at least five minutes after the agreed-upon time. This gives you a little leeway without making you too late.

Step 3: Have a good excuse ready

If you’re going to be late, it’s always a good idea to have a good excuse ready. This could be something as simple as “I got stuck in traffic” or “I had to run an errand on the way.” Just make sure your excuse is believable and not too flimsy.

Step 4: Apologize and offer to make it up

If you’re going to be late, it’s important to apologize and offer to make it up to the person or group you’re meeting. This could be as simple as buying the first round of drinks or offering to do something extra for the person you’re meeting with.

Step 5: Practice punctuality in the future

Once you’ve mastered the art of being late, it’s important to try to be on time in the future. Being consistently late can be frustrating for others and can damage your reputation.

By following these steps, you can master the art of being late and still maintain your reputation as a reliable and fashionable person. Just remember to use good judgement and try to be on time whenever possible.

--

--