New Book Challenges Chronic Urgency, Makes the Case for Choosing Your Own Pace

In an era where instant responses and packed schedules are the norm, former government strategist and meditation teacher Alex Snider's new book, "Sometimes You Should Be Late: The Quiet Rebellion of Slowing Down in a World Obsessed With Speed" (Practical Inspiration Publishing, July 7, 2026), challenges the prevailing culture of chronic urgency. Snider argues that the constant rush to be faster and more productive often comes at the expense of values, relationships, and personal well-being.

Drawing on over 15 years in high-pressure government roles, along with contemplative practice and psychology, Snider explores the historical origins of punctuality and lateness, introducing concepts like "authentic lateness," "time alchemy," and "standing behind your own clock." He emphasizes that the book is not about rejecting ambition or efficiency but about creating space to be intentional with attention and energy. "This book is inviting you — nay, imploring you — to notice when speed has pulled you away from your values," Snider says.

Snider is careful to note that speed can be useful and even an act of care. "Both our speedy rabbit energy and our inner slower sloth have their places," he says, but problems arise when urgency becomes the default rather than a deliberate choice. "When urgency starts overriding our values," he adds, "we lose access to patience, perspective, compassion, and connection."

The book has garnered praise from notable authors. Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of "The Power of Regret" and "When," remarks, "This book reminds us that time's real value lies in the human moments we refuse to rush." Jamie Metzl, author of "Superconvergence," notes, "'Sometimes You Should Be Late' shows why slowing down in the right contexts isn't an obstacle to progress, but a prerequisite for it."

Snider's journey to this perspective was shaped by a life-altering bike accident that forced him to reconsider his relationship with urgency. He co-founded Mindful Fed, a community for mindfulness in government, and holds degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.

Ultimately, "Sometimes You Should Be Late" offers a new framework for thinking about time—not as something to constantly manage, optimize, or outrun, but as something to experience with greater awareness and intention. In a world that rewards rushing, Snider reminds us that slowing down creates the space to reconnect with what matters most: our values, our relationships, and our humanity.