I have being LATE AT AGE 15. NOW AT 32 STILL LATE MOST OF THE TIME.

Ask a Therapist Coping
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How can ADHD ADULT navigate worklife for tardiness at work ?.

Is a struggle for me since 15 and I need help.

I not sure what also cause me to be late from 15 till now.

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I dont have adhd but i set alarms for every little thing. Alarm to shower, alarm to headout. Alarm to reach place etc. fill my calendars w everything n refer to them

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Always struggle to rely on alarm as i am always procrastinating to get out of bed.

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Hi Ouchast_93,

Thanks for sharing — carrying this struggle since you were 15 and still fighting to be understood is exhausting. It’s clear you’re working incredibly hard, and it takes courage to reach out for help. Let’s unpack this together, step by step.

ADHD can distort how we perceive time, plan tasks, or transition between activities. For example, you might intend to leave on time, but distractions hijack your focus, or you underestimate how long tasks take. This isn’t your fault—it’s your brain wiring working differently in a world designed for neurotypical rhythms.

Are you comfortable to explore the following?

  1. Patterns: What does the 30 minutes before work or any to-do-task look like? Are there specific triggers (e.g., losing track of time while getting ready, distractions like your phone)?
  2. Experiments: Some people with ADHD find “body doubling” (having someone nearby to help focus) or visual timers useful. What’s one tiny adjustment you could test this week?
  3. Self-Compassion: How might it feel to remind yourself, “This is my ADHD, not my worth”?

This isn’t a moral failure. Your brain just needs strategies tailored to its wiring. For example laying out clothes/keys the night before. Small tweaks can add up.

You’re not alone in this, Ouchast_93. Let’s keep untangling it together.

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Yes, it’s frustrating to be late despite that you’ve tried.

Could you share with me on what might have caused the lateness?

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hi @Ouchast_93 ,

I can fully understand how it may be tough to be on time.

Personally I use a variation of the alarm method suggested by @user1138 — my calendar! I would set aside time to do things, with the focus on going to bed on time. The idea is that if I go to bed on time, I am less likely to oversleep the next day.

Another thing that helps me is to give myself extra time to prepare while going out (because I find that I always underestimate the amount of time I take to prepare). For example, if I need to be at a place by 2pm and travel time is 1 hour, I will start preparing at 12pm (e.g., with a shower).

I encourage you to find out what is it that makes you late, then work on that first. All the best! :slight_smile:

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Hey @Ouchast_93 I hear your frustration with being late and navigating the struggles of an adhd adult. What helped for some adults with adhd is to use phone apps that can help with tracking time. There are many apps out there, so you can explore and find apps that work for you in making it fun and easy to set reminders and alarms. There are also apps that provide different background noises which can help you to focus on tasks, ensuring that you are able to complete them on time.

I hope this little nugget of advice helps!