Whether we like to hear them or not, every culture, race and group in society has certain stereotypes attached to them. Some good, some bad, and some that are plain nonsense. But for the most part, stereotypes are actually true. At least to some degree. One of the many stereotypes about Africans and the people of color is that we are always late. After all, we’ve all heard the terms “Running on African time” or “Colored people time” thrown around every now and then (even Africans and people of color). And whilst this may seem like one of the more insignificant stereotypes. Being known for lateness is never a good thing. Not for anyone.

Not only can being late make you miss out on great opportunities they can also ruin your reputation. Especially when you are late for important meetings or occasions such as work, job interviews, funding, bursary, scholarship applications, school, dates, family occasions or anything else that is time sensitive.
Not only because your lateness can be seen as rude, but also because it can lead people to believe that you do not take them or the occasion/moment seriously. And in some countries, being late is seen as a sign of disrespect. As most people will feel that you do not respect their time. And in a world where time is money, being late can be a big turn off. Which is why it’s always important to be on time. No matter what the engagement or appointment. Especially if it is the first time you are meeting with someone. Because after all first impression’s last forever.

And whilst we cant always be on time, letting the concerned parties know that you are running late will show them that you respect them and that you value their time. Especially when attending important meetings like job interviews. Because the truth of the matter is, no matter how hard we try, sometimes things are just out of our control and we end up being late despite our best intentions. But this does not mean you have to make a habit of being late either.

So if you find yourself often running late for appointments set your watch and cellphone back a few minutes to ensure you are on time. You can also set a few alarms to remind you to leave in a timely manner to get to your appointments and make sure to give yourself a buffer. Not just for yourself, but also for your future. As the saying goes, “time wasted is never regained”.

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