All throughout the year, most of us are required to be on time. We have to show up for work on time, we have to be on time when we go out with friends, or go on a date with our significant others. And this can really leave some of us stressed out and feeling like we’re always pushing ourselves to our limits to meet all of these obligations.

Fortunately, there is one day of the year on which we don’t have to worry about showing up on time. This one day of the year falls on September 5th, and it’s a holiday known as National Be Late For Something Day. For just this day, we’re all encouraged to loosen our grip on our schedules and spend a little bit more time smelling the proverbial roses.

The History of Be Late For Something Day

This holiday was created by the Procrastinator’s Club of America—a Philadelphia-based organization that was founded in 1956. This organization was founded on the philosophy that things that didn’t explicitly need to be done today should be put off for later. Les Waas was the founder of this organization and remained an active president until 2011. Almost immediately after their founding, this organization created Be Late For Something Day.

Interesting Facts About Procrastination & Procrastinators

While we were researching Be Late For Something Day, we came across some interesting facts about procrastinators and procrastination. The facts were just too good not to share, so we decided to share them here. And so, we listed these facts below for everyone’s entertainment.

• According to research, men tend to procrastinate more than women do.
• Older people tend to procrastinate less than younger people.
• There is no correlation between a person’s intelligence and their proclivity to procrastinate. People of all intelligence levels procrastinate.
• People who are considered to be night owls tend to procrastinate more than early risers.
• Procrastination tends to be involuntary rather than voluntary.
• People can procrastinate due to not being able to properly regulate negative emotions such as guilt or fear, or because they feel overwhelmed.
• People tend to procrastinate doing jobs that are difficult to accomplish.
• Not getting enough sleep or getting a poor level of sleep can lead to procrastination.
• People who increase their mindfulness levels can lower the amount of procrastination they do.

Observing Be Late For Something Day

This holiday isn’t celebrated in the traditional way that most holidays are celebrated because most of the people who would celebrate it would probably put off celebrating it. The best way that people can observe this day is to clear their schedule of anything that doesn’t absolutely need to be done on this day. It’s a day to stop and smell the roses and not worry about the myriad of obligations that you have to worry about every other day of the year. While observing this holiday, be sure to use the hashtag #BeLateForSomethingDay to spread the word about it to friends, family, and internet strangers.