If you deal with lateness on a semi-regular basis, you’ll have become pretty good at predicting who is going to arrive first – or last – to any kind of gathering. Some of us are always early while others just can’t seem to keep to a schedule for love nor money.

And we get it – it can be super frustrating for early types to hang around waiting for our tardy mates. But before we judge, you might be interested to know that the reasons for lateness can be complex, ranging from habit and poor time management to neurodiversity (folks with ADHD in particular can find timekeeping challenging) and anxiety.

“Procrastinators tend to delay tasks until the last minute, leaving little room for unforeseen delays,” explains chartered psychologist Dr Louise Goddard-Crawley. “This behaviour is usually connected with anxiety, perfectionism or low self-esteem, all of which can contribute to chronic lateness. On the other hand, some individuals are more impulsive by nature, which can lead to spontaneous decisions or distractions that cause them to run late. Impulsivity can also make it difficult to resist the temptation of procrastinating.”

Always late? Here’s how to be on time, according to the experts