The concept of time, how it is perceived and how it is used, is another very important example of differences between cultures. Cultures are often classified as sequential or synchronic. Basically, if you come from a sequential culture, you see time as a line with events happening one after the other in chronological order. If you come from a synchronic culture, you see time as a cycle which repeats itself over and over. 

Of course, when reading these characteristics, you must keep in mind that they describe two extremes. Most cultures lie somewhere in between. In addition, we must be careful not to over-generalise, as individuals within a culture may be very different.
Here are some characteristics of the two concepts of time: 

SEQUENTIAL

People tend to do only one activity at a time 

Appointments must be respected; activities are scheduled in advance and often close together 

Keeping to the schedule is more important than relationships 

Strong preference for following original plans 

SYNCHRONIC

People tend to multi-task 

Appointments are approximate and subject to change: more time left between events 

Relationships are more important than schedules 

Strong preference to let events/relationships guide planning 

Do you come from a sequential or synchronic culture?