"This book reminds us that time’s real value lies in the human moments we refuse to rush.” - Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of THE POWER OF REGRET and WHEN

"A call to be more compassionate toward others and ourselves—and to stay attuned to our values more than the clock. - Rhaina Cohen, Bestselling author of The Other Significant Others

Being late can feel awful...but rushing can, too. It's the dilemma of urgency culture. Sometimes You Should Be Late offers a way out.

This way out isn't about becoming a sloth, cute as they are. And don't expect 'five easy steps' to master the clock or 'time hacks' to optimize your morning routine. Instead it's a guide to help you decide who you want to be even—and especially–when time feels tight

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About the Book

We live in a culture that treats speed as virtue. Many of us move through our days with a sense of being behind: on emails, text threads, deadlines, relationships, and more.

Sometimes You Should Be Late challenges the idea that speed brings us closer to the kind of person we want to be. Blending research, stories, and practical reframes, the book helps you explore the kind of relationship you want to have with time and those you navigate it with.

I have no idea when you should be late . But this book will help you slow down enough to see yourself and what matters a bit more clearly, so you can actually decide when the moment calls for speed/urgency/productivity or something more sloth-y.

Origins

I came of age in elite schools and high-tempo government jobs. But a concussion in 2017 forced me to slow down. The years of recovery gave me something unexpected: greater clarity about what actually mattered. I dared to bring mindfulness into government, including founding the first-ever government-wide mindfulness group called Mindful Fed and wrote about the need to balance pressure and being present for one another, even and especially when urgency reigns.

In April 2025, I wrote a Psychology Today article that shares the title with this book, and it struck a nerve. Readers shared stories of recognition (“If I hadn’t let myself feel rushed I would have been a far better parent”) and dissent (“You are justifying flakiness”).

The upshot: "just chill" isn't the answer, nor is "optimize everything". Instead, it's about awareness and choice.

This book is about reclaiming the dignity of those who are first to arrive while also honoring the power of metaphorically showing up for ourselves and others.

This book will help you:

• Recognize your own patterns and values around time, productivity, and urgency.
• Add context to the daily choices we make to help you more consistently show up how you want to.
• Influence the cultures you’re part of, so we can find more care and kindness amid the ticking clocks.

Endorsements:

• “Sometimes You Should Be Late is a timely reminder that racing the clock is a fool’s errand. With fresh insight and practical wisdom, Alex Snider shows how a healthier relationship with time can help us live richer, more meaningful lives.” - Carl Honoré, author of In Praise of Slowness
• “With so many pressures making us feel the perpetual crunch of time, Alex Snider reminds us that our greatest asset can often be slowing down and reconnecting with ourselves, others, and the world around us. Sometimes You Should Be Late explores time as a moral and relational choice and shows why slowing down in the right contexts isn’t an obstacle to progress, but a prerequisite for it. So sit down on your proverbial porch, take a few deep breaths, and (slowly) savor this book. - Jamie Metzl, bestselling author of Superconvergence, Hacking Darwin, and The AI Ten Commandments
• "I hate to be late. My beloved is really easy about being late. Shamelessly so. Happily, I am learning from her. This book can teach you to chill and be at ease too!" — Jack Kornfield PhD author of The Wise Heart
• Sometimes You Should Be Late is refreshing and blunt without ever being preachy. If, like me, your first instinct is that it’s not aimed at you, that’s probably a sign that it’s aimed at you. - David Graham, New York Times Bestselling author of The Project 
• “I just finished a book about checklists hoping it would have a modicum of usefulness, but it didn’t. This book, by comparison, is a massively helpful and instructive guidebook that doesn't just offer techniques but helps us see our habits and choices more clearly.” - Robert Shea, former associate director Office of Management and Budget, CEO GovNavigators
• “Confession: I don’t think it’s OK to be late. But I think this is absolutely the right challenge - to live intentionally. To focus on relationships. To understand that urgent times call for calm, not pace. If we all moved a bit in the direction Snider is pushing us, I have no doubt we would not just be happier; not just more ‘effective’; but also that the world would be a better place.” - Dan Honig Author of Mission Driven Bureaucrats: Empowering People to Help Government Do Better
• "In organizations driven by speed and constant urgency, Sometimes You Should Be Late helps leaders rethink time not as something to optimize or hack but to spend better—so they can make better decisions, build stronger relationships, and lead with greater impact. It's a practical antidote to urgency culture and a better way to show up that our world and workplaces need now more than ever." - Jeanette Bronée, Author of The Self-Care Mindset

Pre-order here!