People who always arrive 5 minutes early no matter what usually display these 8 traits-and most of them come from anxiety not politeness - Silicon Canals

"You know that person who's always first to the meeting, standing awkwardly by the conference room door at 8:55 for the 9:00 AM start? Or the friend who texts "here!" from your driveway five minutes before you're supposed to leave together? I used to think these chronically early arrivers had their lives together in ways I could only dream of. They seemed so responsible, so considerate, so utterly in control."

"But, after interviewing over 200 people for various articles and digging into behavioral patterns, I've discovered something surprising: That compulsive punctuality often has less to do with politeness and more to do with anxiety. The friend who showed up early to every coffee date? She later confided that arriving even one minute late made her physically nauseous. The colleague who was always first to meetings? He admitted he'd rather sit in his car for twenty minutes than risk walking in after someone else."

"1) They catastrophize about being late Ever had your brain spin up worst-case scenarios like a disaster movie director on overdrive? That's catastrophizing, and early arrivers are masters at it. Missing the train means disappointing everyone, being seen as unreliable, potentially losing their job, and starting a domino effect that ruins their entire life. Sound dramatic? To someone with anxiety, these thought spirals feel completely logical in the moment."

Compulsive punctuality frequently originates from anxiety and a desire to control uncertain situations rather than from mere conscientiousness. People who arrive early often catastrophize potential consequences of lateness, imagining worst-case scenarios that trigger anticipatory distress. Physical symptoms such as nausea can accompany even minor deviations from planned timing, and some prefer waiting in their car to avoid entering late. Findings from over 200 people link chronic earliness to thought spirals, precautionary behaviors, and an urge to manage uncontrollable variables. Eight recurring traits characterize these patterns, revealing anxiety masked as responsibility.

Read at Silicon Canals