A small question that starts surprisingly big arguments. Being ten minutes late every single time, or always arriving twenty minutes before everyone else. One costs you a little respect, the other costs you a lot of waiting.
The case for “Always be 10 minutes late”
- You never waste time standing around waiting for others.
- Ten minutes is often still inside the polite window.
- You would always make a fun entrance.
The case for “Always be 20 minutes early”
- You would never miss the start of a movie or a game.
- Early time is great for reading, music or a snack.
- People would always see you as reliable.
Our take
Twenty minutes early wins for us. It feels like wasted time, but with a book or a podcast it becomes free time. Being late every time slowly costs you trust, and trust is hard to win back.
Keep the debate going
Follow-up: what if the late version is five minutes for every event, including flights and exams?
In one line: Rushed and sorry or bored and waiting. Find more like it in our hard would you rather questions.