As National Be Late for Something Day (September 5) approaches, one former government strategist is using the occasion to question the relentless pace of modern life. Alex Snider, meditation teacher and author of "Sometimes You Should Be Late: The Quiet Rebellion of Slowing Down in a World Obsessed With Speed" (Practical Inspiration Publishing, July 7, 2026), argues that chronic urgency—an unconscious reflex to rush—often overrides our own values and what matters most to us.
Snider, who spent over 15 years in high-pressure federal environments before a life-altering bike accident reshaped his perspective, says the issue isn't punctuality or productivity, but the loss of conscious choice. "When we allow the speed-obsessed world to override our own values, we can lose sight of what's best for us and what matters most to us," he explains. "Honoring your own clock simply means creating enough space to respond consciously and deliberately in the moment, rather than letting others' urgency, anxiety, or agitation make that choice for you."
For National Be Late for Something Day, Snider offers four practical ways to break free from chronic urgency without abandoning responsibility or productivity. First, acknowledge the pressure. Our workplaces, culture, social media, and increasingly AI all reward speed, and many of us have absorbed stories that tie our value to being responsive, productive, and always moving. Recognizing this pressure is real is the first step.
Second, separate external "shoulds" from your own. Snider advises slowing down to ask whose clock you're following. Do you want to stay late because you genuinely care about a project, or because you're worried about others' perceptions? Do you really need something done today, or are you afraid of asking for more time? These questions create space to distinguish obligation, fear, and habit from what you actually value.
Third, build more spaciousness into your life. This might mean leaving room between meetings, scheduling fewer things on a weekend, or adding buffers around transitions—not out of laziness, but because spaciousness helps you fully inhabit your chosen activities. "Our lives are short; we don't have to cram them full in order for them to matter," Snider notes.
Finally, return to perspective when urgency takes over. When pressure rises, take a few breaths and ask what actually matters. The goal isn't to become perfectly slow or never feel urgency again, but to remember that even in a fast world, we retain authorship over our choices.
The book, available at Amazon.com, Bookshop.org, and BN.com, blends research, stories, and practical reframes to help readers explore their relationship with time. Snider, who co-founded Mindful Fed and holds degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, brings a unique perspective from his background in mission-driven leadership and mindfulness.
This message arrives at a time when burnout and stress are widespread, and the cultural glorification of busyness is increasingly questioned. Snider's advice offers a counter-narrative, suggesting that slowing down may be a form of rebellion that leads to more meaningful living and leading. Whether you observe National Be Late for Something Day or not, his insights invite a reconsideration of how we allocate our most precious resource: time.
