How to Wait Patiently
Occupy your time., Don’t try too hard., Wait with other people., Break up a long wait.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Occupy your time.
One of the best ways to avoid become anxious during a long wait, is to do something else at the same time to occupy you.
One of the most frustrating aspects of waiting can be the sense that you are losing valuable time, so you can tackle this by filling this time with another activity to help the time pass more quickly.This won’t always be practical, depending on the situation, but here are some examples to keep in mind:
If you are being kept on-hold on the phone, use the time to answer some emails.
If you are waiting for an appointment, read a book or newspaper, or play a game on your phone.
If you are stuck in traffic, don’t sit there and stew, put on some music or a language tape and try to make the most of it. -
Step 2: Don’t try too hard.
Finding ways to distract yourself is a tried and tested way of keeping impatience at bay and helping time pass.
Research has suggested, however, that this technique can backfire if you are trying very hard to consciously distract yourself from the wait.
Trying to force yourself not to feel anxious can prompt even greater anxiety.Accept that you will have to wait and there is nothing you can do about it.
Take a minute to relax before you find something that will occupy you for a while. , There is evidence which suggests that waiting for something with other people can help the time pass quicker.
For this to work, it’s important that the people are engaging with each other, talking about what they are waiting for and sharing their excitement in a positive way.
For example, a group of fans waiting to get a newly released video game might have a fun time in the queue together.Being stuck in a long silent queue will not work in the same way.
Equally, being stuck in a waiting room with people being angry and impatient will not make the time go faster.
Look for a more positive engagement with other people. , If you have a very long wait for something, it can help to break it up into smaller chunks.
Identifying short term goals and focussing on achieving these rather than the final end goal can help you to avoid becoming impatient.
Setting small goals that you can achieve can help you to feel like you are taking control of your life, while also distracting you from the long wait that you cannot do anything to shorten.For example, if you are growing impatient to find out whether or not you have been accepted to your first choice college you can give yourself small goals to reach each week in the meantime.
This could be anything from learning twenty new words in a foreign language, to mastering a new card trick. -
Step 3: Wait with other people.
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Step 4: Break up a long wait.
Detailed Guide
One of the best ways to avoid become anxious during a long wait, is to do something else at the same time to occupy you.
One of the most frustrating aspects of waiting can be the sense that you are losing valuable time, so you can tackle this by filling this time with another activity to help the time pass more quickly.This won’t always be practical, depending on the situation, but here are some examples to keep in mind:
If you are being kept on-hold on the phone, use the time to answer some emails.
If you are waiting for an appointment, read a book or newspaper, or play a game on your phone.
If you are stuck in traffic, don’t sit there and stew, put on some music or a language tape and try to make the most of it.
Finding ways to distract yourself is a tried and tested way of keeping impatience at bay and helping time pass.
Research has suggested, however, that this technique can backfire if you are trying very hard to consciously distract yourself from the wait.
Trying to force yourself not to feel anxious can prompt even greater anxiety.Accept that you will have to wait and there is nothing you can do about it.
Take a minute to relax before you find something that will occupy you for a while. , There is evidence which suggests that waiting for something with other people can help the time pass quicker.
For this to work, it’s important that the people are engaging with each other, talking about what they are waiting for and sharing their excitement in a positive way.
For example, a group of fans waiting to get a newly released video game might have a fun time in the queue together.Being stuck in a long silent queue will not work in the same way.
Equally, being stuck in a waiting room with people being angry and impatient will not make the time go faster.
Look for a more positive engagement with other people. , If you have a very long wait for something, it can help to break it up into smaller chunks.
Identifying short term goals and focussing on achieving these rather than the final end goal can help you to avoid becoming impatient.
Setting small goals that you can achieve can help you to feel like you are taking control of your life, while also distracting you from the long wait that you cannot do anything to shorten.For example, if you are growing impatient to find out whether or not you have been accepted to your first choice college you can give yourself small goals to reach each week in the meantime.
This could be anything from learning twenty new words in a foreign language, to mastering a new card trick.
About the Author
Rachel Stone
Brings years of experience writing about home improvement and related subjects.
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