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.
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.
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.
I dream about being late nearly every night, the past few months. The dream always starts out like a sunny Summer morning where I anticipate having to get out of bed for my past job, or school. It’s a worrying anticipation; not a happy one.
In each of these dreams I know I’m supposed to wake up at 7.30 am, and be at school at 9 am. Then I depart from home and check the clock; then it’s either like 8.45 am or it’s far past. Sometimes I dream of entering the school at 1 pm; 4 hours late. When I do and I’m (hours) late, I actually feel relieved; and like everything is okay. Something I never feel when I’m not asleep. I think this dream is trying to tell me that I have unrealistic expectations that I force upon myself through past experiences. I think the dream is trying to tell me that if I don’t worry; there was never anything to worry about. I don’t believe I need to get things together. I should rather try and accept how well things are going; and that I don’t need to set the bar so high to please the people around me.
I had the running late dream a lot as a child and young adult. The first time I had it, I was 11 and I went to an all-boys Catholic school which placed an emphasis on sport and masculinity. It was around this time I first came to the realisation I could be gay.
In the dream I was at school and we had a big sporting event to go to about 30km away. There were buses to take everyone there, but there was no room for me. One of the teachers said I would have to go with “Herbert” (or some dorky old man name). He was very old and drove a small, old British car from the 60s, like an Austin, Morris or Hillman. This was in 1994 in Australia. He drove really slow, got lost and then the car broke down. I got mad because Herbert was in no rush. We kept on getting later. It felt like we took a couple of days. We never actually got there and I knew the sports event would be well and truly over and everyone had gone home, but I still had to show up. Also, nobody came looking for us.
I had essentially the same dream but different setup over the coming years. Can’t remember any of them as vividly as the first one. Haven’t had one in maybe 10 years. Funny enough small old European cars often feature in my dreams (usually an amalgam of different models) and they’re not cars I’m that interested in when I’m awake
Last night I had a dream about getting ready for a birthday party. 6 times in a row i couldn’t get ready because something would always come in the way. It was so annoying because I would always forget something or run in the middle of the road looking for that house.
I dreamt for two nights in a row.
That I had an arranged plan with my girlfriend, for the next day. But somehow I end up at work, at a photoshoot and a video production that clashed with the arrangement. I left just in time to meet her on the first night. But the second night she came to me and I snuck out of work. I dont know what it means
Hi,
I had a dream where I missed a family outing. It was such a big outing but I had forgotten something at home. I tried going back to get it, I got lost on my way before i finally returned, everyone had already left.
I dreamt I was watching my friend’s girls at her apartment.. We had made plans to meet in Miami via air flight, later that same day before evening, but I was delayed because a strange woman arrived at my friends apartment while I was getting ready to go. Much t my surprise she was coming up all the frozen hamburger patties, preparing to take all that food home to her family without permission. I asked who she was but never got an answer yet sh admitted sh had done the same thing in the past which upset my friend. Another friend arrived. I declared I be was leaving and late so who was going to lock up the place so me and the girls could leave? I started crying feeling despair.
I keep having different dreams but the same scenario im getting ready for an occasion but I can never seem to get ready
I had a dream I was late/missed a casting call.
ive been having a nightmare being late in schoool and everytime i get late i will cry because its give frustratiom for being late
I have the same dream these past few nights. I dreamt of being late for 1 hour in school and of course the classes have already started. I’m really bothered by it because I know that I’m already late but there are always someone who causes scene or situation on my way to school. What should I do?
Hlo everyone 👋👋👋 am sariu from india… its gud to share my dream here(i guess) i think this is the place where i can get my answer🙄🙄🙄plz help me…
I just got a dream for getting sellected for the finals of a match …. and it was my fault of missing it ….the actuall sceen was described below…. am selected for the game i evere dreamt for…. and u know i practised for it day and night …. and as a reasult i got selected … but on the day of my travell to the competition ….😪😪😪😪 i woke up late and missed my bus😢😢😢😢 now i feel like its the end …. done !!!everything is gone😭😭😭😭!!!!!!
BUT IN REALITY…. IRONICALY nothing is like that…. Am not practising for any game…..nor any challenge … am just relaxing my corona holidays 😋😋😋… with online classes and tests🤣🤣🤣🤣
But something is wrong … y did i get such a weired dream😪😪😪… can u help in finding the answer ???😅😅😅plz… and plz dont laugh at my dream…😢😢😢plz help me … waiting for ur reply … urs sincerly .. and thank you.. for spending ur precious time for reading my silly dream😘😘😘😘 …,at last tq … waiting for ur reply
Dear – Sariu – yes, to me our dreams are there for a reason, and since you don’t experience exactly this in real life – could you then still be feeling (fearing!) that you are missing out on something, or maybe, that you won’t manage your online classes/tests? I encourage you to also download my e-guide on how to work with your dreams (you sign up for my newsletter with tips and tricks on how to recall and understand your dreams, you can always unsubscribe, no spam: http://www.michaelrolsen.com/newsletter). Best – Michael
I was in a church with my friends, we were waiting for the arrival of the G.O (which was dad in that dream). It was a very big church with both teenage sections, music sections ushers. So my friends where with food and it was as if you don’t eat inside the church … so other teenage girls where scolding them and I tried defending them, and then dad came in with like a bunch of like ushers following him. Once he came in there was this whole change in the atmosphere like fear(in form of respect ) everywhere was calm and quiet. And then he looked at us and was like why is there food and I explained to him, so he asked That the teenagers be transferred to the big church which was still within the same room but the room is big… (not really a room a building like how our church is but more covered). And then we all where transferred there, and a rabin boy named David Ekine was singing, and when we where transferred by the ushers with our chairs he continued singing in the big church. Then the ushers came to inject us with adrenaline ( or hémostatique) they injected me in my hand, one boy collected his own… the a helicopter inside the church brought our bags to the adult section where we were. Then dad came up to the pulpit to talk I think he wanted to address the church then I left to buy water but I was rushing so I could get back Early, so when I got back and was outside the building I saw oluchi Uchen, she was with big chidinma… so i asked he to help me keep rice because I won’t go asking for rice inside the church so since she is the one sharing can she help me keep food… she then told me that they have already finished sharing ( i feel that day was an occasion) but that everyone in church was counted and owns a rice so mine should be in my chair … and big chidinma did not have rice, because she was not a member and she just came that day I think for the occasion… so finally when I got inside I feel like I saw mom but I’m not sure the I dropped my bottle water outside the church reception and went inside to get my bag and rice as church has closed, then when I got inside I saw dad standing and I think Rev Eugene sitting and I did not see any rice on my chair so I asked dad please I don’t have rice he answered “ are you telling me because u want me to give you rice” I said yes I heard everyone had theirs but I’m not seeing mine In my chair… and dad in the dream said well you see…. then I woke up….
I don’t know if he wanted to make an alternative but I know I was thinking of who might have been holding my rice for me or from me
Dear Wina,
thank you for your comment and very interesting dreams! I currently cannot keep up with the enormous amounts of comments I receive daily (currently more than 200 unanswered), so I have decided to no longer offer this kind of help. I would however love to help you understand your dream in a private online session – see more here. Best regards – Michael
I had a dream of joining an international pageant but the venue was in my high school gymnasium in the province. I missed 2 portions of the pageant because my gowns were at the other building so I turned up to be late in the segments. What does it apply?
I had a dream that I was in the show gilmore girls. I couldn’t see myself or talk in it I was just watching the actors.
Hi michael. Please help me out wiith this dream because i don’t have any understanding of it at all. So… I am in a sticky paddy field and i am running through it. The field is in the ground of my school. My teacher tells me thaat i am running late for class. Suddenly the weather changes from night into a beautiful orange sunrise or a pink sunset and i am desperately asking my teacher to bring a camera to capture the moment. But by the time she brings the camera, the beautiful sunrise or sunset dissapears and it iss twilight once again. And suddenly i start sinking into the paddy field and i try to run in order to get out of the field and prevent myself from sinking. Please help me!
I have been a hairstylist in men’s grooming for 12 years. I continue to have dreams about not being able to complete a haircut an therefore it makes me run behind in my whole day at the salon. In my dreams I feel like a scatter brain because I cannot figure out how to finish one haircut. It’s almost like my hands are frozen and I’m not able to cut. It’s so weird but I agree that I’m probably trying to live up to my own high expectations of my work. I want everyone to like me and the services I provide and these dreams definitely reflect that I’m a people pleaser.
Good day, I dream running late on my graduation and forgot even to hire gown and everything ends up mixed up, and on the last stage I arrived at the wrong office that I was directed to go and hire gown and have to go back and I lastly forgot my hand back and my dream ends it was good morning
I had this same dream many times now, tht im in middle school,it’s slightly raining, i cn see my school bus from my home… But im late..like i cn’t find my shoes or my bag… and the bus wouldn’t stop for me. Once i had the same dream where i got on my school bus, bt most of the time i cn see my bus leaving me or i know the bus wouldn’t gonna wait for me… And the i woke up sometimes..