Why am I always late?

[HereWeGoRoundTheMulberryBag]

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I don't think the problem is that you're late because you don't seems to be THAT late. The problem is that you mind being late and it's causing stress to those around you. Set your watch forward 5 minutes and tell yourself that you can't do anything 10 minutes before you leave for anywhere.
Once you're in the car don't look at your watch AT ALL. There is nothing you can do to make yourself quicker at that point and it will only get you more anxious.

Can you tell I have this problem too?

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Have I been posting in my sleep again? This is me!

Me too - I'm always rushing around at the last minute and always late

And me!
Got another letter from the school last weekre lateness...again only a minute or two, but 8 times apparently...

LOL!!! I've done that with the clock too! 10 minutes. Oh! it's really only 08.15 got loadsa time!

I have my watch 10 min fast it usually works for me. My family generally are poor! Must be an inherited condition

Me too !

I think like you I always think "oh I'll just get this done 1st".

One of the tips from Flylady (see GH threads) is to always allow WAY more time than you think you need.

Seems like a waste of time, but they advise having stuff in the car that you can do (ie office in a bag - bills to pay, cards to write, menu planner).

So then when you arrive early, you can still get stuff done.

Or if something unforseen happens, you are not late.

(have yet to put all this into practice - in fact am late for lunch NOW!=)

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I think the only way you can get past this is by MAKING yourself...I am exactly the same by nature and the same as you hate being late, hate being stressed, hate that everyone else knows me for being late.

Until last term the children and I were always walking through the school gates as everyone else was leaving. This term I decided that I want to enjoy the walk to school with my children and not be in a constant rush...it has taken some doing but I dont think we have been late once since.

In the evening I put the school bags on a hook in the hall, shoes ready, make sure I know where the coats are...if I need to do anything else I set my alarm earlier and I dont deviate from what I have planned to do each morning.

It does take a bit of effort but it makes the start to the day so much nicer

I was a day late being born, my brother was a month late(was in the 60's and wasn't worried about like nowadays), Ds was 2 days late, Dd was 7 days late...we are all always behind the time. Maybe it's linked? anyone else?

I was 7 days early and the family joke goes "that was the only time xxxx was ever early"

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lol! not that then! I'm told I'll be late for my own funeral! Hell! I fully intend to be!!!

My Dp is always late, but often by hours not minutes(to me and his mums anyway). He then has the audacity to have a pop at me for being late!!!!

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I was 2 weeks late being born ...

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I think it does run in families - my parents are usually late and my aunt was a day late to her own graduation (she was so bad that the school used to tell her to turn up half an hour earlier for things than they told the rest of the parents).

MulberryBag, for me it's partly sheer impatience. I hate the fact that whatever journey is going to take x amount of time, so pretend it isn't, and set off late! And I hate waiting when I get there, so I suspect that's connected.

Oh and I hate hate hate not knowing the exact time - clocks set fast do not work for me, they just stress me out more.

Only cure I've found is to marry a man who's always hours early - somehow we muddle through and arrive at around the right time

LOL! I set off to go somewhere only giving enough time that would be needed at 2 in the morning. I forget that there is likely to be traffic to sit in, traffic lights, stupid drivers, learners, milk floats etc...I think I need to rethink this time keeping lark

I have the opposite problem - I am TERRIFIED of being late so always arrive everywhere ridiculously early. I hate this, as it means inevitably I have to sit around waiting for other people, or doing pointless laps of the block before going intot he doctor's surgery or being half an hour early for a film. And don't get me started on catching flights! I'd get there the week before if DP let me!!

I try so hard to be on time but find myself getting itchy and having to leave hours in advance.

do you try and fit too much in? eg put on a wash before you leave for school? make a quick phone call? maybe notice when you do those things and just leave it til later