Not only does being late for a date make for a bad impression, but it can make you seem inconsiderate and, if enough time passes, rude. To make a better impression, here are six ways to nip your late ways in the bud and not let a chance at love pass you by.
- Plan ahead. Think about what you have to do before the date. If that involves showering, eating, or finishing up a project for work, then do it all well in advance of when you need to leave. Don’t wait until the last minute to do what needs to be done. You have 24 hours in a day; use them wisely.
- Do a trial run. If you’re meeting at a place where you’ve never been, you might want to check it out first. GPS is great and Google Maps is even better, but thanks to Murphy’s Law your internet just might go down when you really need it, and you’ll find yourself wondering which turn you’re supposed to make next. If you take the time to check out the route, this won’t be an issue.
- Always expect that something could go wrong. Always! Always! Always! Sometimes there’s an accident that blocks traffic for miles or there’s an issue with the metro where it gets derailed and you’re stuck underground for an hour. Yes, these things are out of your control and you can’t be blamed, but had you left early enough with the assumption of, “Well, there might be traffic,” then your date wouldn’t be rolling his or her eyes every 10 minutes at your texts.
- Don’t procrastinate. It’s easy to look at the clock, especially when your meeting time is still a couple hours away, and think you have enough time to do laundry or some other errand. Put your errands on hold and remember that making your date is your top priority.
- Fight the urge. According to psychologist Linda Sapadin, some people are late because it’s a rebellious thing that has “carried over from childhood,” while others enjoy being late because they feed on mini-crisis: “These are people who cannot get themselves together until they get an adrenaline rush. They need to be under the gun to get themselves moving.” If you happen to fall into either of those categories, you need to fight the urge to be a rebel or an adrenaline junky. You need to consider the person waiting for you.
- Learn to love it. When you’re not rushing to get to a date on time, you’ll feel more relaxed when it’s game time. Avoid showing up to you date wiping sweat from your brow as you obsessively apologize for something that could have actually been prevented. It may be a change from your usual M.O., but you also might just find that it works for you and your partner.