Sometimes You Should Be Late: The quiet rebellion of slowing down in a world obsessed with speed

by Alex Snider

Overview

What if the real measure of your life isn’t how fast you run, how much you do, how 'on time' you are, but how well you pay attention to what actually matters?

Sometimes You Should Be Late is about the quiet courage to slow down when the world keeps shouting, hurry up. It’s not really about clocks; it’s about questioning the stories we’ve inherited about time and consciously, rebelliously, choosing our own path.

We live in a culture that worships urgency. Like horses with blinders, we’re trained to look straight ahead—at deadlines, meetings, and to-do lists. This book invites us to lift those blinders and see what we’re missing: the colleague who has a sad look in their eye, the simple joy of a walk, the gift of a slow morning with loved ones, the stranger who needs help. Because sometimes being late is how we arrive on time for what truly matters.

Drawing on stories from government, psychology, and everyday life, meditation teacher and writer Alex Snider offers a field guide for reclaiming your attention from urgency culture. This isn’t about hacks or time-management tricks. It’s about choosing presence over punctuality, kindness over checklists, and our humanity over the clock.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781788609692
Publisher:	Practical Inspiration Publishing
Publication date:	07/06/2026
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	240

About the Author

Alex Snider is a writer, facilitator, and former government strategist who bridges the worlds of public service and mindfulness. He brings over 15 years of federal experience to his work, having shaped domestic policy through the President’s Management Agenda, represented the United States as a diplomat at the Department of State, and served in roles at the World Bank, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, and the U.S. Senate. He holds degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.

Alex writes about mindfulness, urgency culture, and relationships for Psychology Today, his Substack Slow Mindfulness, and other publications. A certified meditation and authentic relating instructor, he has led hundreds of workshops in Washington, DC, and beyond. He also co-founded Mindful Fed, a cross-government mindfulness community that has grown to thousands of participants, helping public servants slow down and show up with presence.

Table of Contents

Preface: Act Your Way Into Thinking

Introduction: I Should Have Left Later

Part I: The Stories We Inherit

1. Moralizing Punctuality
2. Your Brain on Late Shows
3. The High Cost of Being On Time
4. Judge the Late at Your Own Peril
5. Wearing Multiple Watches

Part II: Daring to Choose Differently

1. The Kindness Buffer
2. Slow Down When You’re Already Late
3. Be Authentically Late
4. How to Wait Without Waiting
5. Conclusion: I'm Glad You-re Here

Annex: Rebelling Together 1. Work: Sometimes You Should Miss the Q1 Target 2. School: Sometimes You Should Get a B 3. Friendships: Sometimes You Should Cancel 4. Family: Sometimes You Should Not Go Home for the Holidays

Teachers & Influences

Acknowledgements