2 Things You Need To Know About Time

Time doesn’t always make sense when you’re dyslexic. Some days it slips away faster than you expect, and other days you feel like you’re racing the clock. In this episode, I dive into the real struggles we face with scheduling, tardiness, or showing up half an hour too early just to avoid another late arrival.

You’ll hear stories of my own chaotic rushes and how I’ve learned to handle them. I talk about why time can feel less like a friend and more like an unruly puppy. Most importantly, I share strategies and mindsets that help life flow a bit more smoothly. If you’ve ever felt guilty or frustrated about your inability to wrap your head around a clock, you’re not alone.

Time as a Dyslexic Puzzle

It’s not that we don’t “get” time. We understand the numbers on a clock and how a schedule should work. The challenge is knowing how to piece it all together in the moment. Our minds are wired for creativity, empathy, and big-picture thinking, but they’re not always the best at counting down every minute accurately.

Sometimes, there’s a sense of drifting from one activity to another without noticing how quickly the hours pass. At other times, we obsess over being punctual and end up waiting around forever before an event starts. It feels like an all-or-nothing tug of war.

“One of the biggest realisations I’ve had is that time is a puzzle for many of us with dyslexia, and we’re all still learning how to piece it together.”

What matters more than beating ourselves up is recognising the pattern. When we see how our brains interact with time, it becomes easier to create routines that fit our natural flow rather than fight it.

Why We’re Often Early or Late

There’s a funny paradox with dyslexia and time: you’re either the first one to show up or the last to walk in the door. This duality stems partly from fear. We don’t want to appear disorganised or disrespectful, so we overcompensate by arriving too early. Or we might slip into a daydream or hyperfocus on something else. By the time we snap out of it, the minutes have flown by, and we’re already behind schedule.

It’s not that we want to be unpredictable. Deep inside, we wish we could wave a magic wand and show up exactly on time. But no matter how many times we remind ourselves, we can still lose track of what’s happening. Our sense of time can feel like a wobbly string, stretching and shrinking when we least expect it.

This episode looks at how that tension creates stress or guilt. Remember, you’re not lazy if you turn up late. You’re not obsessive if you arrive half an hour before everyone else. It’s a natural pattern in many dyslexic minds, and it’s OK to adjust your environment so you can cope with it.

Practical Strategies for Taming Time

Of course, there are tools that can reduce chaos. They might not create miracles overnight, but they can help you forge healthier habits and take some weight off your shoulders. Here are a few ideas we explore:

• Visual Calendars: Hanging up a large weekly or monthly planner makes time less abstract. You see how the days span out and can spot free slots more easily.
• Audio Reminders: Use a phone alarm or a voice assistant to prompt you. Hearing a reminder can be more effective than just seeing a notification on a screen.
• Time Chunking: Break tasks into smaller blocks with short breaks in between. If you know you have 10 minutes to tidy a room, it’s easier to stay focused than if you have a vague “later” deadline.
• Buffer Zones: It’s good to plan a cushion of extra time around important events. Not too much that you’re twiddling thumbs, just enough so you don’t arrive stressed or flustered.

We also talk about what happens when all these tools fail—because sometimes they do. That’s when kindness towards yourself matters. If you overshoot or undershoot your schedule, see it as a signal that you might need to tweak your strategy.

Another vital piece is noticing your energy levels. Dyslexia isn’t just about reading or spelling. It can affect how much brainpower you have at certain times of day. If you’re more alert in the morning, schedule tasks that need focus then. If you’re a night owl, lean into that when it’s practical. Constantly forcing yourself to operate against your natural rhythm can lead to burnout.

Celebrating Every Win

Adjusting your relationship with time isn’t about being perfect. It’s about celebrating every step you make towards consistency. Maybe you turned up only five minutes early instead of half an hour, or you gave yourself a little extra travel time and arrived feeling calm. These moments count as wins.

We also talk about the power of humour. If you can laugh off the occasional slipup, it’s easier to move on and stay positive. Embracing your quirks doesn’t mean you stop learning. It means you accept that your brain works differently, and that’s OK. When you celebrate progress—however small—it builds the confidence you need to keep going.

None of us has to endure endless frustration with time. We can experiment with strategies, build habits that suit us, and give ourselves a little grace when things don’t go to plan.

• Changing your time habits starts with noticing patterns.
• Tools like alarms and visual reminders ease the mental load.
• Small wins over time lead to lasting improvements.
• Laughter and self-compassion go a long way in maintaining momentum.

If you want to hear more about my personal journeys and the practical tips that have helped me, the podcast player is right at the top of this page. Tune in to discover extra insights, hear real stories, and hopefully find a few ideas you can try in your own life. Thanks for reading, and I hope you feel encouraged to make peace with time—one minute at a time.