when you're running late...

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How do you deal with being rushed or being late for something? Do you often have trouble not being upset when your in a rush? For me, I am the worse when I am in a rush. I get emotional, irritable, and stressed the most.

For example today, I was almost late for a interview and a meeting, and rushing to get there looking at all the red lights, and just simply not getting there, I could feel my anxiety build and it reminded me of a lot of other times in the past where I put my self through hurrying.

For things that are important to me, I stress out and panic if I'm late. For that which I don't like or don't care about, I'm not bothered if I'm late.

Two weeks ago, I had a party I wanted to go to. I left early enough to be on time and stop somewhere and get something to eat. A friend who wanted to go, called and asked me if I could give her a ride. I said yes. I ended up over at her house waiting for her to do things she didn't inform me about. After two hours of waiting, I left without her. Overall I was 2.5 hours late to the party because it was almost an hours drive away. I was freaking out, pacing back and forth, and I couldn't concentrate on anything. I was almost to the point where I was having a meltdown. There was a mutual friend there who I ended up taking instead and we had a good time.

I hate being late. In fact I hate it so much that in Grade school if I overslept then I wouldn't even bother going. If I'm not on time to something I might as well not even go.

Early is best. I have to take extra care to avoid mistakes when I feel rushed or late. Sometimes focusing on avoiding mistakes can help me not stress out over actually being late, though.

I would in fact prefer to not go to something at all if it meant being too late. I hate being late, to things that are important to me. It i don't care about it, then i won't care about being late.
Being too early bugs me as well, especially when i'm the first one there. I feel so out of place. For be, being 10-15 minutes early is best.

Man, I would have difficulty not being stressed in that situation as well! Not to mention, parties are one thing in which I never want to be late at. I think you did the right thing by leaving her there because I felt like she was being disrespectful by making her wait. Good lesson for her! Reminds me of this one girl I knew who used to ask me to give her rides to work and she would make me wait. Never would I allow that now!

That's kind of funny because I know what you mean about rushing when your late. In a way, I've felt almost as if missing out on the whole event is better then dealing with the stress of rushing. Kind of makes you wonder, if taping into that feeling would help when you are in a hurry.

Yeah I have to agree that getting into the habit of leaving early always helps. I've been doing that more often lately and it REALLY helps in terms of eliminating the chances of being in that stressful rush situation.

It depends on the circumstances. I'm OK if I'm running later than planned for something where the time wasn't super important to me or others & there's no pressure. But I get nervous if others are putting pressure on me or if it something where timing was important to me; I take longer when I'm nervous & make more mistakes.