How do different cultures perceive time?

In spite of the fact that time is considered a universal concept, its perception and significance vary greatly across cultures.

Clocks and calendars measure time globally. The way people experience and value time differs significantly across cultures. As a rigid and linear progression, some societies view time while others see it as fluid and cyclical.

Anthropologist Edward T. Hall divided concepts of time into two parts–monochronic and polychronic cultures as one of the most well-known cultural frameworks for understanding time.

Monochronic cultures: People in societies from the United States, Germany, and Switzerland give significant time as linear and segmented and prefer to do one thing at a time, value punctuality, and urgent schedules and deadlines. They believe that time is a limited resource and no one should waste time.

Punctuality and deadlines were their top priorities, and time was equated with efficiency and productivity. People of the countries maintain meetings, appointments, and work schedules as planned. Making lateness or sudden changes is undesirable.

Polychronic cultures: People in societies from Latin America, the Middle East, and parts of Africa are more flexible in their approach to time as they value relationships over strict adherence to schedules. They embrace this approach that multitasking is a common issue, and interruptions are considered as natural rather than disruptive.

It is not necessarily disrespectful to be late, but they prefer a reflection of prioritising personal connections.