In a world of nonstop notifications, packed schedules, and pressure to respond instantly, former government strategist, speaker, and meditation teacher Alex Snider invites readers to question today's culture of chronic urgency in his debut book, "Sometimes You Should Be Late: The Quiet Rebellion of Slowing Down in a World Obsessed With Speed" (Practical Inspiration Publishing, July 7, 2026).
"This book is inviting you — nay, imploring you — to notice when speed has pulled you away from your values, to feel what being in a constant rush does to our relationships, to lift the blinders that trick you into thinking you don't have options, and to consciously choose how to move through time," says Snider.
Drawing on more than 15 years in high-pressure government environments, along with contemplative practice, psychology, leadership, and everyday human experience, Snider does a deep dive on the origins of our modern concepts of punctuality and lateness. He introduces concepts such as "authentic lateness," "time alchemy," and "standing behind your own clock," offering readers new ways to approach time, not by rejecting ambition or efficiency, but by creating the space to be intentional about our attention and energy.
However, Snider insists that this isn't a book about relaxing or opting out, noting that speed can be useful, necessary, and even an act of care. "Both our speedy rabbit energy and our inner slower sloth have their places," he says, noting that speed primarily becomes a problem when it becomes our default rather than a deliberate response. "When urgency starts overriding our values," notes Snider, "we lose access to patience, perspective, compassion, and connection."
Ultimately, "Sometimes You Should Be Late" offers a new way to think 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.
"This book reminds us that time's real value lies in the human moments we refuse to rush." - Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of "The Power of Regret" and "When"
"'Sometimes You Should Be Late' shows why slowing down in the right contexts isn't an obstacle to progress, but a prerequisite for it." - Jamie Metzl, bestselling author of "Superconvergence" and "The AI Ten Commandments"
The book is available at Amazon.com, Bookshop.org, and BN.com. It challenges the idea that speed brings us closer to the kind of person we want to be, blending research, stories, and practical reframes to help readers explore the kind of relationship they want to have with time and those they navigate it with.
Alex Snider is a writer, facilitator, and former government strategist who bridges the worlds of mission-driven leadership and mindfulness. After spending more than 15 years inside high-pressure federal environments, along with a life-altering bike accident that reshaped his perspective on urgency and attention, he began questioning whether constant speed, pressure, and responsiveness were actually helping people live, lead, and relate more meaningfully. A meditation teacher and co-founder of Mindful Fed, Snider explores what modern busyness gives us (and what it quietly takes away) in his book. He holds degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service. Learn more at SlowMindfulness.com.
