Dreams about being late – what do they mean? (Dream interpretation being / running late)

Dreams about being late – what do they mean?

Being late/running late is a very common theme in dreams and is among the ten most common dream themes. There are several approaches to what running late in a dream might mean – these are described below.

Being late in a dream as an image of finding it difficult living up to your own demands or the demands of others. We live in a time where the pressure of expectations is huge – from society, from parents and last but not least (I am tempted to say), from ourselves. When we dream that we are late or that we are about to be late, it is often because we are fighting a battle to achieve more than we can actually handle.

If you feel that this interpretation is relevant to you then the dream is a clear signal that you are currently about to wind down and re-prioritize what is most important in your life – and then focus on that. People who work in jobs with many “here and now” performances often dream about being late. In times of exams, job interviews and other high-performance situations, dreams about being late are also very normal.
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When trying to understand your dreams it is important to know that your dreams are… your dreams. As such, you are the best person to figure out the true meaning of your dreams.

However, it is important to learn how to generally approach your dreams. Dream dictionaries like this one are only a supplement, and if you want to fully utilize the potential of your dreams, you should start at a different place.

My online course “Unlock your DREAMlife” gives you a great foundation for understanding (and recalling) your dreams.
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Being late in a dream as a symbol of a needed change in life or a hope of change in life.
Dreams about being late can also symbolize an unconscious fear of missing an opportunity or missing out on something critical – for example, developing your relationship, raising a family, etc. In this way, a dream about being late can be a type of “wake-up call.” Perhaps a type of “pull yourself together now before it’s too late (or you will be single/stay in that job/be unemployed forever).”

It is not uncommon for women to dream about being late when they approach menopause, i.e. it will soon be “the last chance” to get the first or last child. Similarly, a dream about being late might illustrate that now is the last chance to make a career change – following your dream of becoming self-employed , improving your photography skills, etc.

Dream dictionaries are a very helpful tool when interpreting dreams. However, generally learning how to approach your dreams, will give you a better foundation for understanding them. My online course “Unlock your DREAMlife” teaches you how to much better utilize – recall and understand – your dreams.

Return to the index of dream themes and symbols:

Dream interpretation A-Z  ↵

Also read: Why I no longer interpret dreams for free

NOTE: Dreams are 100% individual, and when you dream about being late, it is almost certainly about something else for you than it is for your friend, who also dreamt about being late. Dream interpretation / dream analysis is sometimes a difficult art, and a particular interpretation of a dream is only correct if you feel truly affected by it. Therefore, it is not certain that the above-mentioned interpretations are relevant to you.