It’s About Time: How to Handle People Who Waste Your Time
“Everything you see or hear or experience in any way at all is specific to you. You create a universe by perceiving it, so everything in the universe you perceive is specific to you.” –
Douglas Adams
We cannot manufacture more time. When we give someone our time, we are giving them a portion of our life that we can never get back. That is why the greatest gift someone can offer us is their time.
How do you show your appreciation when colleagues, family, and friends give you theirs?
Unfortunately, you will meet people in life who do not value your time. Some waste it knowingly, some do it accidentally, and others genuinely believe their time is more important than yours.
The Reality of Chronic Lateness
I have a colleague who regularly texts to say she is running late for our meetings. It is not unusual for her to show up 40 minutes late – with no reason given, and not even a simple “Sorry.” Instead, she arrives happy and smiling at my door, completely unaware of how her tardiness disrupts my entire day.
We see this in the professional world, too. Many service providers keep customers, patients, and clients sitting in waiting rooms without a word of acknowledgment. Because we need their expert advice, we sit and wait dutifully. However, the silent message these “professionals” send is clear: “I am important: you are less so.”
Of course, emergencies happen. Doctors cannot always predict how long a patient will need. But my former doctor routinely arrived at the surgery at 9:30 AM for 9:00 AM appointments. And no! He wasn’t out doing emergency house calls. He was just always late.
Why Do People Disrespect Your Time?
What causes this behaviour? Here are four common reasons:
- They don’t understand the value of time: These people don’t appreciate the value of time in general – neither theirs nor anyone else’s.
- They are self-centred: They value their own time but give zero thought to how their lateness impacts others. This often happens with co-workers who don’t understand what your job actually entails.
- They look down on others: They understand that time is valuable, but they don’t respect certain people. They view peers or employees lower down the corporate ladder as of lesser importance.
- They are playing a power game: Some people use lateness to show dominance and remind you who holds the power.
If you are a salesperson waiting on a major client, you might just have to swallow your pride. But when it comes to service providers, a polite, tongue-in-cheek comment can work wonders. I used to tell my doctor:
“My goodness, I see you’ve had an incredibly busy morning. I would have been happy for your receptionist to call me so I could take a later slot.”
How to Deal with People Who Keep You Waiting
- Change the setup: For the person who is always late, try saying: “Since mornings are usually hectic for you, why don’t you call me when you are actually leaving your office, and I’ll do my best to meet you then?”
- Lower their priority: If someone constantly disrespects your calendar, stop prioritising theirs. When they notice the shift, it may force a conversation about the issue.
- Have a direct conversation: If the behaviour doesn’t change, address it openly. They might be defensive at first, but it puts them on notice.
A Final Thought
Use your own time wisely. You cannot expect others to respect your time if you don’t respect it yourself. Sometimes, our own actions portray us as people with “too much time on our hands.” Take a look at your daily habits and make sure you aren’t accidentally sending the wrong message.
Ready to take control of your time and find balance that works for you?
Join Learning Insight’s online course: “Achieving Work Life Balance” today to discover practical strategies and tools that will help you thrive both professionally and personally. Don’t wait: make your wellbeing a priority and enrol now!
