Chronic lateness can be frustrating for those waiting, and is often caused by lazyness and carelessness.
But experts say Health issues Calling time blindness may be to blame for permanent lateness.
This condition, often misunderstood as not being able to perceive time, disrupts a person’s ability to estimate how long it will take to complete a task, affecting everything from everyday life to long-term productivity.
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In everyday life, time blindness manifests itself by missing deadlines, difficulties in transitioning between tasks, or underestimating how long the task takes and stress and frustration.
Socially, it can be interpreted as rude or careless behavior towards others. Damage the relationship.
“The basic feature of time blindness is that time intervals cannot be estimated,” Dr. Mauran Shivanantan, a psychiatrist at Henry Ford Health in Detroit, Michigan, told Fox News Digital.
This can have a negative impact on someone’s ability to use their time as a guide to planning the day.
“I’m a neurologist – this is why dementia is rising and how to reduce the risk.”
Laurie Singer, a board-certified behavior analyst for California’s Raurie Singer Behavior Services, Time Agnosia – Another name for the condition – Unable to properly handle the passage of time.
“They usually have a hard time knowing how much time has passed or how much time is left during the task,” she told Fox News Digital.
For example, someone may incorrectly calculate how long it will take for them to prepare in the morning, and rush through the door to arrive late.
Others can be absorbed into activity (a symptom known as hyperfocus) and lose the path of time completely, experts noted.
Time blindness is considered a “executive function issue,” Sivananthan said.
Executive functions refer to skills such as working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, these skills are essential for everyday tasks such as planning, solving problems and adapting to new situations.
Time blindness is most commonly linked To ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).
“The different parts of the brain are affected by ADHD, including the prefrontal cortex and cerebellum,” Shivanantantan said. “There have been many studies examining the role of cerebellum in time processing.”
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This condition can also manifest in autism, OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), traumatic brain damage, depression, anxiety, and even conditions. Parkinson’s disease And multiple sclerosis, experts say.
Time blindness is not listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Mental health And the singer pointed out the brain-related condition.
Although there is no formal diagnosis of this condition, the inability to perceive and manage time is included in the DSM-5 criteria for ADHD.
According to Shivanathan, treatment for time blindness often involves a multilayered approach starting with minimizing delays.
“When you need to do something, it’s better to do it right away,” he told Fox News Digital.
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It’s also helpful to use external devices to track the time spent on activity.
Sivanathan often recommends setting a timer for patients before, for example, getting into the shower or starting a project.
“We’ve seen patients approach it with exceptional hard work, providing some of the tools to alleviate symptoms, such as starting every day to create a rhythm.”
Experts agree Habitual behavior It can bring the benefits of “structure, predictability, reduced fatigue in decision making, increased productivity, improved time management.”
Sivananthan recommends creating consistent routines that break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks, “train your brain” and reduce cognitive load.
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Experts say time blindness won’t go away completely, but it can be significantly reduced with consistent routines, visual aids and regular treatments.
