Yesterday you had an excuse: Daylight Savings Time made you do it. But what’s your excuse on the other 364 days of the year? An estimated 20 percent of Americans are chronically late year-round, according to a San Francisco State University study. “It’s not as frowned upon as it used to be,” said Diana DeLonzor, author of “Never Be Late Again.” “I think it’s still as annoying as it’s always been, but I think our standards have relaxed.” DeLonzor surveyed human-resources managers and found that 76 percent considered tardiness to be a growing problem. She attributes the increased tardiness to Americans leading more jam-packed lives — full-time jobs with plenty of overtime, more emphasis on family outings, and carting kids back and forth to ever-increasing after-school activities. And it comes with a price: tardiness costs U.S. businesses an estimated $3 billion a year in lost productivity, the San Francisco study found. Kate Shaughnessy, 28, of Dormont, said she suffers from a long to-do list and a relatively short day. “I just cram so many things into my day, that I don’t leave enough time to get places,” she said. “I’m usually late to everything. My friends tell me that if I ever get married, they’re going to have to tell me my wedding is an hour earlier than it is.” Shaughnessy said her tardiness is more a problem in her social life rather than at work. Her company allows flex time, meaning if she’s 15 minutes late to the office, she can stay an extra 15 minutes to make up the time. She swears she’s early or on time for meetings. Flex time is an increasingly popular trend in the workplace, DeLonzor said. But often managers still treat “late” employees as being lackadaisical or rude, she said. Confusing the whole situation is the notion of being “fashionably late.” You can’t show up on time to a party that is supposed to start at 8 p.m., and — in many cases — you’re not expected to. But that notion has bled into other areas of life where punctuality still should be abided by, DeLonzor said, such as work, doctor appointments and dinner plans with friends. The punctuality pendulum might be swinging the other way. Manners expert Lesley Carlin says there’s no such thing as fashionably late, and etiquettehell.com has declared it “unfashionably rude.” In Peru — a country so notorious for its citizens’ tardiness that tourist guides advise being late or risk a faux pas — officials launched a punctuality awareness campaign earlier this month. “Punctuality is important because it’s a promise that you’ve made to someone,” DeLonzor said. DeLonzor uses an analogy to describe the frustration experienced by coworkers and friends of the chronically late. “If someone asked to borrow a dollar and they didn’t pay you back, it’s not a big deal,” she said. “But if someone asks to borrow a dollar everyday and they don’t pay it back, it is a big deal.” How to be on time 1. Relearn to tell time. Research shows chronically late people tend to underestimate how long it takes to do things by 25 to 30 percent. Figure out how long it really takes you to drive to work or take out the trash by timing yourself for a whole week. 2. Never plan to be on time. If you’re always late and plan to be 15 minutes early, you’ll finally be on time. 3. Welcome the wait. Don’t feel you have to cram something in to the two minutes before the meeting starts because it will only make you late. 4. Always have a daily plan. Schedule your activities with estimated time frames so you see what you do and don’t have time for. 5. Prepare. Each night, lay out your clothes, put your purse or briefcase near the door and make sure you know where your keys are. Dealing with the chronically late 1. Don’t take it personally. The chronically late aren’t selective in keeping people waiting; they simply need better time management skills and practices. 2. Set guidelines. Agree before hand that you’ll only wait for 15 minutes or if you stay, the late-comer needs to buy the movie tickets/wine/dessert. 3. Be pro-active. If you’re meeting with someone who’s chronically late or have an appointment with a doctor or hair stylist, call them to see if they’re running late. 4. Send a lateness citation. Go to www.neverbelateagain.com to send an anonymous citation to friends, family, coworkers or bosses to let them know their tardiness isn’t appreciated. 5. Lie. If all else fails, tell your late-comer that dinner starts at 7 p.m. instead of the actual 7:30 p.m. Source: Diana DeLonzor, author of “Never Be Late Again”

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