Manana attitude towards time in Mexico | Manzanillo Mexico Travel Blog

General

Information and news about Manzanillo and surrounding areas

Living

Tips, suggestions, ideas, and concerns about living in Manzanillo

Photo Friday

Photo showcase of the best scenes in Manzanillo

Reviews

Reviews of restaurants, hotels, activities, and books

Tourism

Everything you want to, and need to know as a visitor in Manzanillo

Home » General

Mañana

Submitted by Manzanillo Blogger on Thursday, 7 August 20089 Comments

A key difference to living in the US and living in Mexico is the Mexican attitude towards time. Theres is a laid back attitude that can be summed up in a word "Mañana." It's a difference that baffles, frustrates, and infuriates many foreigners who visit here.

In Mexico if you make an appointment with somebody in the morning, you are lucky if they show up by the afternoon. In general it is the exception that things actually happen on schedule, not the rule. Here's the kicker- It's ok! No one gets overly bent out of shape about it. We are used to things running on a tight schedule, we organize our lives to the smallest detail. We use pocket planners, PDA's, Blackberries, Google, and sticky notes to make sure that not a single things is forgotten, no appointment is missed, and not a second is wasted on the mundane and unproductive. Even when we are doing one thing, we usually are already planning our next step. This works for us. Whether or not it is good for us is open for debate.

Living here is a different story entirely. They don't even sell day planners!(citation needed) In Mexico, they live in the now. If it's not an absolute emergency, it can probably be put off until tomorrow. And who knows what is going to happen tomorrow so why bother planning for it? It is no understatement to say things run inefficiently by Western standards. On the other hand, to say Mexicans are lazy is ignorant and foolish.

To anybody who has said that I challenge them to work a single day in the Manzanillo sun constructing one of the thousands of houses that are being built at any given moment. The Mexican work day generally starts at 8 in the morning, and usually goes till 8 in the evening. With a two or so hour siesta during the heat of the day. It is grueling, hot, sweaty, and dirty work. Think you can? Try doing it and walking away at the end of the day with 100 pesos (the equivilent of $10USD) pay.

The truth is not that people here are lazy, it is that they have a laid back view of time. It's not that Mexicans aren't punctual, it's simply that they "allow" themselves more time to get something done. In some of the smaller villages it's not uncommon to see traffic being held up while one driver stops to converse with another. Nobody complains. This attitude towards time has been called the "Manana Attitude."

I came across a very good article today discussing this attitude. Here is the link: Rethinking the word 'slow'. It is a discussion between two Japanese cultural anthropologists. On the "Manana Attitude" Shinichi Tsuji states:

People who are living a full life 100% in the present postpone doing new things. It's as though by doing so they are extending the present.
Naturally, this goes against the economic principles of productivity and efficiency. But productivity and efficiency have nothing to do with our inherent joy of living or, in the real sense of the word, culture. I think the "manana" attitude reflects the idea that if you live completely in the present, then indeed tomorrow will come.

That very well sums up the Mexican view of time. Much of the world looks ahead, works twice as hard now so that possibley later things will be easier. Here they live for now, for the joy of the present. Both are extreme, but coming from the break neck pace of New York City, I can honestly say that they just might be onto something. ¡Tranquilo!

9 Comments »

luly said:

THANK YOU. finally someone writes kind things about mexicans. Instead of believing what they see or hear on TV. One day, those who choose to force mexicans back to Mexico, are going to be sorry, since Mexicans are willing to do the work that is beneath their dignity of so many people.

- 7 August 2008 at 5:15 pm

TheFixer said:

Very interesting. I never had considered an idea like this. I never believed mexican’s to be lazy, maybe joke about it, but this is a great explanation of the attitude they have.

- 8 August 2008 at 12:42 pm

El zorro platiado said:

You actually get used to living life a little slower. We received sage advice when moving here; “Only try to accomplish one thing a day.” After embracing the culture, it is easier to get more than one thing done a day, but when first moving here it is good advice. It may take a little longer to get some things done here, but if you try to enjoy the experience instead of fighting it you are happier and you make people around you happier.

- 8 August 2008 at 4:59 pm

crazy4manzanillo said:

i can say that i’m still pretty american. i still think with the “there’s no time to waste”, “it must be achieve today” attitude. but i do tend to relax very tranquilo on my day off! i can’t seem to relax in the states, here it’s soooo tranquilo and i love it! viva manzanillo!

- 11 August 2008 at 1:49 am

Jeff said:

You covered this topic in a very respectful and gentle way! It is the single most frustrating adjustment that I am having to make to live here.

I am absolutely convinced that if the Mexican people retained the laid back mood, but committed themselves to doing things at them time they promised to do them the GDP of this country could easily double- INSTANTLY.

If you don’t want to set a certain time, that is cool but if you took the time you set seriously the results could be seriously elevating for the whole country.

The comment about “Only try to accomplish one thing a day.” is one that I stumbled upon for myself as a way to stay sane, but I feel life is to short to waste any time at all. I do find my stress level much lower here and I am never afraid when a police car is behind me here, but the lackadaisical attitude toward time is my biggest challenge.

I KNOW these folks are not lazy, and the folks who labor with their body outdoors certainly are more sturdy than I am…….. It seems folks do not see a way to “get ahead” here, so they make their life as joyful and comfortable as possible on an ongoing basis. I see so many more smiles in a day here than I did in the US that I know Mexican are happier than Americans.

I do love living in a free country for a change, and do plan on becoming a citizen of Mexico ASAP. Manzanillo is GREAT!

- 26 August 2008 at 7:02 pm

Miguel said:

Manzanillo is my hometown and when I visit, every 2 years or so, I feel a sense of relaxation and calm. I get away from the rat-race in the U.S. and ease into a more healthy and natural way of life. The food, the air and the people feel so natural and so at ease.
Being at ease, or doing things slowly, can truly be a logical concept. For example as many of you know, Europeans are known to savor their foods by eating slower; as a result, Europeans tend to be less overweight than Americans. So not only do they fully enjoy their foods longer but they are also less obese. Slowing down life will more than likely cause less stress and more enjoyment.

- 16 September 2008 at 1:33 pm

Manzanillo Blogger (author) said:

I agree completely Miguel. I used to do the same thing when I lived in NYC. Coming to visit a place like this relieves stress you didn’t even know you had. My whole body and soul always felt more relaxed every time I visited. I really think there is something to be said for living a slower life.

In fact, before all this drug war stuff started I found a report in 2002 that said Mexicans were the second happiest people in the world. Now it’s down to 39th place due to the rise in crime. The point is, I really think the world has a lot to learn from this culture.

- 16 September 2008 at 2:13 pm

Summer in Mexico | Manzanillo Mexico Blog said:

[...] a month ago I wrote an article on the Manana attitude of many in Mexico. To the uninformed it can lead to thinking Mexicans are lazy. The famous picture [...]

- 18 September 2008 at 6:21 am

Irwin @ the Weber BBQ Store said: