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Selena Gomez lives by the rule: “If you’re on time, you’re already late” — and it’s a mindset that could help Gen Z thrive at work. As many young workers struggle with punctuality and deadlines, Gomez’s habits reflect professionalism, preparation, and respect.
Studies show tardiness can cost workers their reputation — or even their job. With Gen Z missing deadlines at nearly four times the rate of boomers, her advice is a timely reminder that showing up early still matters.
While many Gen Zers say being 10 minutes late is still “on time,” successful people like Selena Gomez, who says she makes a point to show up 30 minutes early for work or meetings, offer a different path forward, explaining that showing up early has its own set of advantages.
When discussing the filming of her show ‘Only Murders in the Building,’ which stars Gomez as well as comedy icons Steve Martin and Martin Short, the actress and founder whose net worth hit $1 billion last year opened up about one of her greatest tools to staying a pro: showing up early.
Gomez is used to arriving so early, in fact, that she says her coworkers would trick her to arrive way behind schedule.
“My papa used to say, ‘If you are on time, you’re already late.’ So that means I get to places 30 minutes before, or my team has had to trick me because I show up so early, but I like to be prepared, and to say hi and not be rushed,” the actress said in an episode of the Good Hang with Amy Poehler podcast.
“When I started working with Steve [Martin] and Marty [Short], they really took the lead — they set the tone for everything,” Gomez said. “They’re so professional, and they’ve been doing this for so long. Sometimes I’d feel tired on set, and they wouldn’t be, and I’d think, ‘Whoa, okay, I can do this too.’”
“I don’t think people realize in our industry like most jobs you get in trouble if you’re late or you get fired,” Poehler responded.
Poehler is right: 1 in 6 companies are hesitant to hire recent college graduates, with more than one-fifth of hiring managers describing that recent college graduates often can’t manage the workload they’re expected to stay on top of.
Roughly 20% say they are often late to start work, according to a survey by Intelligent.com.
Not only does being on time save Gomez from entering a pressured environment and rushed job, it’s also a sign of respect for her peers.
“I honestly would start crying, only because it stresses me out,” she said. “If I made the crew wait even 30 minutes, I’d feel like a puppy dog with my tail between my legs the whole day. It’s just… disrespectful. Not everyone feels that way, but for me? That would ruin my whole vibe.”
Punctuality could also not only cost workers their reputation, but the economy billions. Staff who arrive late at work are costing the economy over $11 billion a year, according to a survey analysis from The Independent.
Gomez advice to being on time could be a lesson for Gen Z
Maybe Gomez’s mindset is one Gen Z could benefit from — especially as more workplaces begin emphasizing accountability, time management, and coming back into the office more regularly.
Many young people still think being 10 minutes late still counts as being “on time.” That is in stark contrast to baby boomers, who see lateness as a sign of unprofessionalism or disrespect, no matter how small.
The “zoomer” generation entered the workforce at a time of remote work, where flexibility was more accessible at home. Not only does the generation struggle with being on time, they also have been noted to miss assignments and be late.
On average, Gen Z workers miss almost a quarter of their deadlines each week, compared to 6% for baby boomers and 10% for Gen X, according to MIT research.
One silver lining: Some of the tardiness has to do with time management, which apparently improves as one ages.
Written by Jessica Coacci for Fortune as “‘If you’re on time, you’re already late,’ Selena Gomez says—and it’s a lesson for unpunctual Gen Z” and republished with permission.
