Holiday hacks: Be Late For Something with Google Maps

Did you know that today is international ‘Be Late For Something Day’?

I didn’t, but it was a pleasant surprise on a day where the kids refused to do anything I asked them to do and the commute to work was horrible.

I used to be very punctual, but then I had kids. Now getting out of the house looks pretty much like this. 

Joking apart, I really like the idea of the Be Late For Something Day. It was established by the Procrastinators’ Club of America to remind us to slow down and enjoy life and the world you live in instead of rushing around from checkpoint to checkpoint.

If you decide to take time to relax and take in your surroundings today, here’s a few ‘being late tips and tricks’ that’ll make your delay easier for both you and the people waiting for you.

Share your location

Let’s face it, waiting for someone who’s late is annoying. And yes, I know I just said I like the idea of the Be Late For something Day, but that doesn’t mean I enjoy waiting for someone who should have been there 10 minutes ago. However, knowing they’re on their way and their ETA definitely makes the waiting game more digestible. So, if you’re going to be late for something to day, make sure to share your location with the people waiting for you.

Bike sharing stations

Thanks to a recent feature in Google Maps you can get bikeshare in 24 cities around the world. This allows you to locate bikesharing stations, see how many bikes are available at a station, and find out whether there’s an empty space for you to leave your bike or not. All in real-time. 

Be Late For Something Day is not about being late just for the sake of being late. It’s about taking the time to relax, but what good is that if you end up stressed because you’re rushing from one occupied bike share station to another in an attempt of not being that late? Use Google Maps to check the bike share stations near you and enjoy your relaxation time instead of making your stress levels spike.

Check when the next bus or train arrives

Maybe you miss your train because you’re enjoying the walk to the station instead of race walking the distance. Don’t worry. If you type in your destination in Google Maps and tap the public transit icon, Google will pull up train times, so you know exactly when the next train to your destination arrives. And of course, the same goes for other modes of public transportation.

So, slow down and take time to enjoy life and your surroundings on this international day of Be Late For Something.