Waiting
”It is strange that the years teach us patience; that the shorter our time, the greater our capacity for waiting.”
Whether you’re waiting for something small like a coffee order when you’re late for work or something more significant like a career milestone, these moments test our patience. However, by intentionally placing yourself in situations where you have to wait and approaching these moments with a calm and reflective mindset, you can enhance your ability to remain patient.
Yup: I’m telling you that doing a whole lot of nothing a bunch of times will test your patience over and over, and will build your resilience and composure in actual situations where you’ll need it most. It’s practice, and most of us need it.
Mindful Waiting
So, practice mindful waiting by being fully present in the moment while waiting. Instead of getting frustrated in line at the grocery store, observe your surroundings, notice the details of the environment, or focus on your breath. If you need a guide on more specific details to focus on, Grounding Techniques has you covered.
This turns waiting into an opportunity for mindfulness and relaxation. Over time, mindful waiting helps you develop a more patient and accepting attitude towards delays and interruptions.
Intentional Waiting
Now that you’ve got a tool to help you handle waiting better, you’re going start seeking it proactively, on your own terms. Incorporate intentional waiting into your daily routine. Start with small tasks like choosing the longest checkout line or taking a slower route home to practice patience by waiting a bit longer when you can.
By choosing to wait longer than necessary, you build tolerance for delays and reduce impulsivity. These small acts of intentional waiting will lead to greater overall patience in more challenging situations. Eventually, you might even come to find that you enjoy these small breaks in your day, as the moments of calm and peace become an oasis in the busyness of your life.
Structured Waiting
Once you’ve established a habit of seeking out the longer roads less travelled when they present themselves, it becomes time to set aside specific times in your day for activities that require waiting. For example, wait a set amount of time before responding to emails or messages.
By structuring your day to include patience-building exercises, you make patience a habitual part of your life, reinforcing the practice and ensuring consistent improvement. You’ll likely find that your responses to life are much more even and calm than they were before, and less prone to sudden outbursts, and rash behavior.