Very few people can say that "waiting" is one of their favorite activities, nevertheless everyone has to wait for something or someone. Whether you want to make the time go by faster during an unexpected short wait or for a rather long period, perhaps even weeks or months, this article can provide you with a number of helpful tips.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Passing Time Faster When the Wait Is Short
Step 1. Dive into the pages of a book
Whether you are in the checkout line, waiting for your partner to be ready to go out or looking forward to an important event approaching, time will pass faster if you find a way to distract yourself. When you read you are enraptured by the plot and the characters, so it becomes easier to forget about the passage of time.
- Pocket books and e-book readers are perfect to be carried every day in the bag in view of possible unexpected expectations.
- Likewise, if you can't wait for a certain date to arrive, like the start of the holidays, diving into the pages of a book is a great way to nourish and distract your mind at the same time.
Step 2. Have other ways to distract yourself
If the wait seems to be long and you don't have a book or magazine to read (or if you're not in the mood for it), think about some other engaging activity.
Other ways to effectively distract yourself include: watching a movie, getting hooked on a new TV series, playing video games, and knitting
Step 3. Get some exercise, preferably outdoors
If you have the opportunity to go outside, consider going for a walk or a run to distract yourself. The fresh air and the change of scenery will help you stave off frustration and impatience.
For example, if you are waiting for a flight or an appointment, even if you cannot leave the building, you can get up and take a stroll. There's no need to stand still in the waiting area in front of your gate, the airport is filled with information screens that can tell you when it's really time to board. Moving around a little and relaxing your muscles can help you cope better with waiting
Step 4. Listen to some music
Music has a profound effect on our mood, so if you're looking for a way to distract yourself or keep anxiety at bay while you're waiting for something or someone, have a nice playlist available.
The ideal is to combine music with movement. If you are concerned that walking or running will still not be able to remove the anxiety about waiting (for example because you have an important interview the next day), put on your headphones and turn up the volume. It's hard to keep worrying while trying to sing along with your favorite artist
Step 5. Observe the people
There is nothing wrong with digging your nose into the pages of a good book or using your smartphone as a way to distract yourself when you have to wait a long time or unexpectedly, however remember that you have another excellent source. distraction right in front of your eyes - look up and see all the interesting characters around you.
- Without being rude or inappropriate, try to eavesdrop on some conversation. But if the topic is too personal, stop immediately.
- Invent plots for the people you see: you can have fun writing real stories or sending your hypotheses via chat to your friends.
Step 6. Make the most of your time
Think of the time you have to spend waiting as an unexpected gift that you can put to good use, rather than something you have to endure. Of course, that's easier said than done!
- Obviously it is annoying to have to stay in the doctor's waiting room for 45 minutes because your appointment time was not met. However, instead of getting angry and constantly checking your watch, try to push yourself forward on your to-do list.
- Use the time you have to spend waiting to clean up your inbox, write thank you cards (keep some new ones in your bag), file your nails, keep a journal, etc.
Step 7. Break the waiting time into short intervals
Perhaps the idea of having to go through a long and grueling workout or an equally hard and endless exam makes you feel very frustrated. When the end of suffering seems too far away to resist, the best thing to do is to trick the mind by dividing the task or waiting period into shorter and more manageable stages; in this way time will seem to pass faster.
- For example, maybe you have to do 12 laps of the 400-meter track (for people who don't run: this is a tough workout, which when performed at speed requires considerable and almost constant effort). Instead of starting a countdown from twelve, think of the workout as if it were divided into four parts of three laps each. First you will need to focus on the first part, which consists of just three laps of the track. Once the first portion of training is complete, there will only be three more missing.
- Perhaps you are anxious about a very difficult exam that will last a whole day. Instead of thinking that you will have to go through six hours of tests to pass it, focus on completing the different individual sessions, for example of reasoning, linguistics, writing etc.
Step 8. Put the clock away
Anyone who has used this trick at least once before to try to make time pass faster during a wait that seems exhausting: "I will not look at the clock until at least half an hour has passed", but the final result it was often disappointing: only a few minutes had passed.
- If you want time to really seem to pass faster (for example to endure a delay on a trip or to see the end of a hard day at work approaching), obsessing over the clock is certainly not the way to go. The only result you would get would be to feel even more frustrated and bored.
- If possible, hide any clocks from view. If you need to do something within a certain time, set an alarm, then put it away until it rings.
Step 9. Cool off
Some studies have shown that our body temperature affects the way we perceive time: the warmer we are, the longer the waits seem. Conversely, when we are colder, our perception of time seems to (slightly) accelerate.
While there's no guarantee that once you take off your sweater, time will pass faster, there's no reason not to give it a try
Step 10. Take a nap
Remember how terrible and boring long car journeys felt when you were a kid? How nice was it to doze off and wake up having already arrived at the final destination? Of course, sleeping helps to pass the time faster, so if you can take a nap or go to bed early, the wait will seem shorter.
If you are having a hard time falling asleep because you are impatient (or worried) for tomorrow, try meditating or using relaxation techniques to help you fall asleep faster
Method 2 of 2: Make Time Pass Faster When the Wait Is Long
Step 1. Focus on the final result
Waiting is almost always difficult, but it can be really complicated when the wait extends for days, weeks, or even beyond. Sometimes, when you are forced to be patient against your will, you have the feeling that time has stopped; in these cases it can be useful to remind yourself what exactly you are waiting for or what your goals are.
- Maybe you are struggling to get through the grind of a terrible summer job that will help you pay your college tuition. Summer can feel eternal when you're forced to spend it in the city doing a job you can't stand, but reminding yourself why you made this commitment will help you get through the tough time.
- Keep a copy of the program of the courses you intend to take on hand or attach a university badge to your bag or shirt to help you stay motivated.
Step 2. Understand that good things happen to those who know how to wait
It is normal to want what you want when you want it, but waiting and hard work add value to the result.
If you were suddenly given a new computer, you would make good use of it, but if the gratification were delayed in time you would appreciate it even more. You may not like having to keep using the old one, but waiting will make the new one look even more fabulous than the old "junk" that has accompanied you so far
Step 3. Find a hobby
When time seems to move slowly, you are more likely to be able to resist by finding ways to distract yourself. Especially when the wait is long, it's important to look for ways to fill your time. Choosing a hobby that allows you to develop your talents and explore your interests is one of the best ways to get over a long wait.
- For example, you may be forced to stay away from the person you love by spending several weeks of solitude before you can reunite. Using some of that time to plan activities to do together once you get together is certainly fine, but if all you do is focus on that distant day, your current loneliness and impatience will increase, at worst seem unbearable.
- This could be the perfect time to start training for a marathon, gardening, home baking, etc.
Step 4. Do your best to stay positive
If you're expecting something that has an uncertain outcome, like a medical or school exam, there are good reasons to stay upbeat and look forward to the future full of hope.
- For example, if your goal is to be able to reduce the risk of hypertension, the process of getting back into shape could greatly benefit from a positive mental state about the situation.
- There is evidence that negative emotions can slow down our perception of time. When we are depressed, anxious or bored, we tend to focus more on the passage of time, as a result we feel that it passes more slowly.
Step 5. Give yourself a few moments of doubt or negativity
Although with a positive attitude you are more likely to be able to overcome periods of uncertainty and long waits, it is natural that you occasionally feel sad or pessimistic about the situation. If you constantly feel pressured to be optimistic, you will end up frustrating yourself even more on occasions when you can't maintain a positive state of mind.
- In fact, a "slightly" pessimistic attitude can also bring some benefits. For example, you wouldn't be caught off guard by a negative grade on an exam.
- Taking some time to imagine the worst possible scenario can prepare you to better cope with any unwanted outcome. If the worst happens, you have a better chance of being able to react effectively.
Step 6. Go with the flow
To make the time go by faster you need to achieve a certain balance: you have to do your best to be positive, but you don't have to exhaust yourself trying to fight negative thoughts. Some studies suggest that when the effort to self-regulate emotions becomes excessive, the perception of time is negatively affected.
For example, participants in recent research who were asked to remain emotionally neutral while watching tear-jerking footage felt that those videos were significantly longer than those who were under no obligation to control their emotions
Step 7. Focus your attention on others
Directing your interest outward, looking for a way to help other people, is an excellent way to make time go by faster during a long wait. In addition to helping yourself, having found something that distracts you, you will have a positive impact on the world.
- Volunteer at a homeless shelter in your city, supervise children at the park, or help an elderly neighbor look after her garden - there are so many ways to put your talents and skills to good use for the community.
- Unexpectedly, one of the best ways to feel fulfilled and happy is to act with the goal of making others feel good, rather than yourself.
- Being happy and satisfied with what you are doing will also help you be more patient while waiting. The saying "Time flies when you have fun" seems to have a scientific basis: some studies indicate that our perception of time really accelerates when we do something we like.
Step 8. Be present in the moment you are living
While it is important to have goals to achieve (and to wait for), and from time to time it is normal to face difficult times, you must be careful not to forget to live in the present moment because you are committed to planning for the future.
- Write down all the positive things in your life and identify the sources of your happiness. Doing so will help you keep an optimistic mindset and put things in perspective.
- Make sure you grab the opportunity to have fun, when it presents itself!
