Have you ever wondered which are the most overused excuses in the world? We all eventually make use of some of the most overused excuses in the world to get ourselves out of a potential problem and spare us a good tongue-lashing (or worse).
Sometimes, reality helps us, and we can actually explain why we couldn’t make it, or why we are late, or the reason for not answering a phone call, etc. And though it may be the truth (or at least a half-truth), those reasons still often come across as excuses because of the overabundance of same or similar excuses being used all the time. Other times, the truth is a bit more shameful and not so graceful to be admitted to, leaving us with nothing but some cliché excuse.
Arriving late to work, missing a date, or forgetting a meeting are the most common scenarios for whipping out excuses. Indeed, no one enjoys waking up on Mondays and heading to the office, or leaving their place with plenty of time to spare, so as to be sure they get to a meeting on time. These happen all the time, and we aren’t usually bright enough or inspired enough to make up some fancy excuse. And of course, too creative sounds just that: too fanciful, and false. So what’s better than the good old “stuck in a traffic jam” excuse?
The thing with these little lies is that we all use them, so the chances of the other person believing you depend on how much they actually want to believe you (or forgive you). Nevertheless, in some cases, getting late might cost you a job position or a chance to have another date. Sometimes, there are no excuses for some of The 8 Worst Mistakes Made on First Dates. Of course dating is never easy, but some things should definitely be avoided. And arriving late to one is never a good way to start it.
Now then, we’ve gathered some of the most overused excuses in the world, and compiled this list of the great cliches of excusedom. Using them tends to be helpful, though perhaps not believable or a good enough excuse to justify the situation, so use them with care. Nonetheless, check them out, and keep them in mind for when the need arises.
No. 10 “I didn’t get your last message about the changed time/location.”
With today’s technology, the the chances of “not getting a text” are very rare. Everyone checks their phone constantly, and there is almost no way you’ll miss a text. Yet, it’s okay to try your luck with this one, it just might work.
No. 9 “The weather was terrible”
Classic excuse: bad weather makes it impossible for anyone to arrive on time… although some people actually do arrive on time. There is no doubt this excuse is on the basic manual of excuses.
No. 8 “I was pulled over by the Police”
This excuse might be helpful when arriving late to a meeting. No one can check whether you actually were pulled over by the police or not, and it is easy to allege that they were just doing some random protocol.
No. 7 “I woke up not feeling well”
When you are already getting late to work, you call your office to say you are not feeling well, and that there is a chance you won’t make it to the office. Of course, any serious job usually asks for a medical certificate of your illness. You should be ready to deliver some proof with this one.
No. 6. “They called from the children’s school”
Indeed, children are a top priority to all. And using their school-related issues as excuses can also be very helpful. These can pop-up anytime during work hours, and of course, buy you some time when you need to handle something.
No. 5 “The alarm clock didn’t go off”
Traditional excuse with not much veracity. Alarm clocks don’t usually break. Moreover, these days we usually use our cell phone’s alarm to wake up. So everyone knows there is little chance this is a legitimate excuse, and that you probably just overslept instead.
No. 4 “The whole power system went out”
Although it can actually happen, this excuse can only be used occasionally. Sometimes bad weather can help increase the credibility of this excuse.
No. 3 “The coffee line took too long”
Yes, this one is all over the place, and it isn’t a very smart excuse. The importance of your morning coffee will appear to be larger than your meeting, and everyone will say you should have gotten in the line earlier.
No. 2 “I couldn’t find my keys”
Not finding your keys is something that can be true. We might leave them in weird places when we arrive home or inside of a coat and don’t realize until we are already falling behind our schedule. Despite it possibly being true, this cannot happen very often… and if it does, you should probably become a little bit more organized.
No. 1 “Stuck in traffic”
This overused excuse is the top one in the excuse world. Traffic is usually pretty bad every day, and if you do the same walk every day, you probably know how long it takes you to get to a certain place. This is the oldest trick in the book, but as such, also the lamest.