better to be late or early?

Being on time is not the answer.

It’s been drilled in my head that its proper etiquette to be on time for things. However, I’m Mexican and Mexicans are always late. I’ve heard it is the same for Italians and what do you know, I’m Italian too.

I remember growing up and being a part of the high school marching band (yep, I know what you’re saying to yourself and yes I played flute) and how being on time was such a huge deal. I was to be on the field (in our case, the school parking lot), in my spot with my instrument ready to go when 9 am hit. My mom, being Mexican, would pull up to the parking lot at 9 am, making me officially late. This happened more than you know (I thank God I wasn’t the only one).

A 2011 Careerbuilder study found that 15% of American workers are late to work once a week. The Journal of Sleep Research did some research and found that insomnia leads to punctuality – in other words – the ones that get to work the earliest also sleep the worst. They study also found a correlation between punctuality and being a perfectionist. Things that make you go “hmmm”.

This morning we had our fence fixed and our contractor (he is Mexican) confirmed that he would be here at 9 am. He showed up at 8:15 am. Now since I was under the impression that being late was the norm, this was a surprise. He was early. I had to rush to put on some clothes, open my eyes wide enough to put on my contacts and meet them outside.

So I ask you guys, is it better to be late or better to be early?