Could being late all the time be an indication of a mental health issue?
Recently, a video of a person crying because, she claimed, she had been chastised for asking a prospective employer to make accommodations for her because she suffered from time blindness, a condition that made it difficult for her to be at work on time, went viral on TikTok.
More than 4.6 million people have watched the video, and the comments section is full of taunts. However, according to mental health specialists, time blindness is actually a real symptom, particularly for those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The “Daily Mail” reported that the TikTok user, @ChaoticPhilosopher, who shared the video, stated that she believed it was necessary to destroy companies that “cut off” workers who struggle with being on time.
In the video, she discussed inquiring about adjustments for her time blindness from prospective employers. She says: “I just wanted to know if there are accommodations for people who struggle with time blindness and being on time, you know.
“They all started yelling at me and saying that accommodations for time blindness did not exist and if you struggle with being on time you will never be able to get a job.”
@chaotic_philosopher I'm tired of workers' rights not being prioritized in this country. And we're entitled for suggesting it should be different... I don't think so. #workersrights #employeerights #workers #capitalismsucks #capitalism #thesystemisbroken #fyp ♬ original sound - ♻️🌎Chaotic Philosopher♾️🇺🇸
Time blindness describes the incapacity to gauge how much time has passed or how long a task will take.
The term is used to describe the phenomena of losing track of time and is not a diagnosis, according to Dr Michael Manos, a paediatric behavioural health specialist.
Everyone occasionally experiences a distorted sense of time. For some, keeping track of time might be particularly challenging, such as those who suffer from attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism spectrum disorder.
The ability to estimate how long something will take to complete can also be problematic for people with ADHD.
Losing track of time is a normal side effect of hyperfocus, which is when you become so absorbed in something that you lose track of everything else.
When you're doing something you enjoy, time passes more quickly. The opposite seems to happen when you're cleaning the floors or stuck in traffic, and there’s a scientific justification for this.
Depending on the circumstance, our brains alternate between two different types of attention. They are referred to as focused attention and automatic attention.
The default mode network in your brain controls automatic attention. You can be happy there. It's what you do when you're engaged in an activity you find fascinating.
It's the kind of enjoyment-driven focus that causes time to pass quickly. In a sense, it acts as the mind's cruise control.
When we’re involved in activities we have to do but may not necessarily want to, we utilise directed attention. This can involve attending a particularly boring class at school, or submitting your taxes.
It's not that stimulating and, at times, it takes a lot of effort to control your thoughts. That's because your brain is trying to get back into automatic attention so it can ease off the throttle and discover something more enjoyable.
Manos argues that running on automatic attention is the reason why time blindness occurs. “You're passionate and enthusiastic about something. As a result, you are not aware of the time.”
Nobody enjoys using focused concentration. It is tedious. Keeping it up requires a lot of work, but directed attention is significantly more difficult for those who have ADHD.
Automatic attention tends to be particularly strong in those with ADHD. They can more quickly enter a profound state of hyperfocus when they are engaged in something they enjoy, according to Manos. However, their brains typically have a harder time using directed attention.
For this reason, people with ADHD may avoid circumstances when they are required to do so use directed attention.
In other words, because of their propensity to choose activities that need automatic attention, people with ADHD are frequently referred to as being time blind. So what takes place?
Once they get their rhythm, they lose track of time and zone out.
The “New York Post” reports that after the TikTok user complained about her prospective employer’s attitude to time blindness, she was told, “Your stupid generation wants to destroy the workplace.”
In the video she says she thinks that this toxic work culture needs to be dismantled – suggesting that it is ableist and, thus, non-inclusive. Workers should not just be cut off just because they have trouble being on time, she says.
After posting the video to TikTok, before it was uploaded to Twitter, @Chaotic Philosopher did not receive a lot of sympathy, with some users advising her to “just use an alarm”.
“I'll accept time blindness if you'll allow payroll blindness,” one user commented.
Another added: “Someone clearly stepped foot in the real world for the first time that day and realised she wasn’t cut out for it,” the “Daily Mail” reported.
One woman, who claimed to have worked as an employer and manager, said she recognised that being late occasionally happened.
When you frequently lose track of time, it might be more challenging to finish your work by the due date or to be in the right place at the right time.
Find techniques to bring your attention back to the present to prevent automatic attention from taking over your day's agenda. By telling your brain that there are other things that require your attention, you can break it out of hyperfocus.
Research by the Cleveland Clinic suggests that posting reminders in the real world can help you stay focused and in the moment.