Making Waiting Less Painful

Waiting. Not something that most people enjoy doing. In fact, we dislike it so much that we will often pay dramatically higher prices to avoid having to do it. Just look at a modern amusement park, and many people are now opting to spend almost as much money as the price of admission just to have a shorter wait. Look at Amazon, where two-day shipping wasn’t fast enough, so they created one-day shipping. Of course, that wasn’t fast enough, so they created same-day shipping. Now they have drones that’ll ship you your item within hours of purchase. The cost to the environment for same-day shipping is higher than slower shipping, but if it means that we have to wait less, then we love it. 

But waiting is inevitable. There is no avoiding it in multiple circumstances, even for the wealthy. So the better question isn’t how do we avoid waiting, but rather, how do we make the best of waiting? What do we do while we’re waiting so that we can be happier, more productive, and less frustrated. 

Below is a list of ten activities that I do while I am waiting that allows me to feel productive, and prevent frustration or anger from occurring during this inevitable part of life. 

1. Learn a language

   1. I feel that most people are “in the process of” learning a language anyway, so just open up that language app, and go to town. You can still learn a language without having to hear or being able to speak, which makes it convenient to use while waiting in line. 

2. Learn music or music theory

   1. I am into music these days, and particularly music theory. Therefore, I use an app to help me develop my ear with regards to pitches, intervals and chords. I also use this app to improve my rhythm and my sight reading. You can do this with either headphones or without headphones. 

3. Read a book

   1. Everyone should be able to access free online books through their library these days, so why not have a book that you’re reading ready to go for any time that you have to wait? 

4. Listen to an audiobook or podcast

   1. If you have headphones or earbuds available, listening to an audiobook or podcast is a great way to kill some time while also learning some good information. I particularly like the ability to increase the playback speed much faster than normal.

5. Watch a youtube video

   1. Obviously, you need a decent smartphone and either a data package or wifi available, but the short nature of the videos lends itself to waiting situations well, when you might need to stop watching at a moment’s notice. 

6. Write an essay or blog post

   1. At this point in my life I try to write almost daily. Everyone has novel or creative ideas. Instead of just letting them rattle around in your head, start turning them into words. Open up your favorite app and start creating an essay that encompasses your idea. Over time, you may put together enough posts for your own blog or book. 

7. Hold your breath

   1. Why? Well, I have learned that holding my breath as long as possible not only produces great cardiovascular benefits, but also calms my mind, as well as provides a neuroprotective effect in the case of a stroke or cerebrovascular accident. I would recommend starting this while seated first, since inflating one’s chest too much can cause lightheadedness and potentially cause one to faint. After you become comfortable with this technique, it can be performed nearly anywhere, and is perfectly silent. Warning, this will increase your metabolic rate and increase your overall body temperature...that means that it’s working. Just keep the temperature-thing in mind if you’re already hot or flushed. 

8. Meditate

   1. No, I don’t mean sit cross-legged on the floor and start Ohm-ing in front of everyone. Meditation can also just be mindfulness. In fact, you don’t even need to close your eyes in order to meditate. Just relax, focus on your breath or physical body, and be mindful. Try to focus on the present, what’s directly in front of you, and let go of the past and the future. Let your thoughts flow by peacefully. This can do wonders for resetting your brain midday and can be turned on and off quickly. 

9. Think about other people

   1. Just spend some time thinking about the other people in your life that you care about. Maybe there’s a birthday or anniversary that’s coming up that you don’t want to miss. Maybe you haven’t spoken to one of your good friends in a while, and should touch base with him. Maybe you hurt someone whom you love and wish to apologize. Taking time to think about other people in life can go a long way towards maintaining healthy relationships, and what’s more important than that?

10. Write down three things that you are grateful for. There are many apps out there that can help with this, but really, you can just mentally think of them, you don’t actually have to write them down. Research has shown repeatedly that gratitude can make us happier and healthier, so there isn’t a better time to do this than when you’re waiting. 

I hope that you begin to no longer dread the thought of waiting, but potentially even look forward to it. The more productive that you can be while you wait, the less unpleasant it will be, and the less money you’ll feel compelled to spend to avoid the wait. Waiting doesn’t have to be painful or annoying if you learn how to become productive. Perhaps you’ll even look forward to it.