At a Glance
- Time blindness is a core ADHD symptom that makes people misjudge how long tasks will take.
- Musician Alice Lovatt learned she had ADHD at 22 after years of chronic lateness.
- Stimulant medication and structured tools like Forest and lock-out apps can reduce tardiness.
- Why it matters: Recognizing time blindness turns a perceived flaw into a treatable condition, offering practical solutions for everyday life.
For years, Alice Lovatt struggled with lateness, saying, “I just don’t seem to have that clock that ticks by in my head.” A diagnosis of ADHD at 22 revealed the underlying cause: time blindness.
What Is Time Blindness?
Time blindness is the inability to gauge how long a task will take or how much time has passed. It stems from frontal-lobe executive function and is a well-documented feature of ADHD, first described by Russell Barkley in 1997 as “temporal myopia.”
Impact on Daily Life
The effect spills into family, work, finances, and social interactions.
Stephanie Sarkis stated:
> “Anyone can have issues with running late, just with ADHD there’s functional impairment.”
Stephanie Sarkis continued:
> “It impacts family life and social life. It impacts work, money management, all areas of life.”
Sarkis added that chronic tardiness may signal a treatable disorder and that stimulant medication can also alleviate time blindness.
- Impairs relationships
- Affects job performance
- Hurts financial management
Tools and Techniques
Interventions effective for ADHD can help anyone with lateness.
Jeffrey Meltzer recommended:
> “After determining a reason for chronic lateness, take an index card and write down a reframed thought about that reason and a consequence of being late.”
Other practical steps include setting smartwatch alerts, keeping analog clocks nearby, breaking tasks into checklists, and using apps like Forest or lock-out tools to limit distractions.
- Smartwatch alerts
- Analog clocks
- Checklists
- Time-management apps
Meltzer also noted that the same psychology behind revenge bedtime procrastination applies to lateness:
> “It’s the same psychology concept behind revenge bedtime procrastination.”
He warned that entitlement can drive chronic lateness, saying:
> “Maybe they’re 20, 30 minutes late, and it’s like, ‘Oh, look who is here,’.”
Broader Trends
ADHD diagnoses and stimulant prescriptions have risen over the past twenty years, especially among college students, contributing to higher misuse rates on campuses.
News Of Philadelphia interviewed three ADHD specialists to explore the surge and misuse.
Personal Progress
Lovatt now gives herself more time than she thinks she needs and uses Forest, a time-management app, and a lock-out app to stay focused.
She created a granular list of each step from bed to door, discovering it takes 45 minutes instead of the 20 she thought.
She admitted, “It doesn’t work, like, 100% of the time. But generally, I am a lot more reliable now.”
Key Takeaways
- Time blindness is a medical symptom linked to ADHD, not mere rudeness.
- Medication and structured tools can reduce chronic lateness.
- Understanding the root cause helps tailor effective strategies.
By recognizing time blindness as a treatable condition, individuals like Lovatt can reclaim punctuality and improve overall functioning.
