how to get better at waiting
If there’s anything that’s universally detested, it’s waiting. We’ve got places to be, people to see, Netflix shows to binge. Waiting in traffic, waiting for a seat at a restaurant, waiting at the airport… it’s unbearable. It’s frustrating. We can feel our lives ebbing away. There’s no way to eliminate waiting, but there are ways to make it more bearable.
Lessons Learned at Baggage Claim
At the Houston Airport, operators noticed that the passengers from one particular flight were complaining about waiting for their baggage at a much higher rate than usual. Airport officials tried to address the problem by assigning more baggage handlers to that flight, but the high rate of complaints continued.
They checked the equipment and found that everything was in working order. Then they investigated the actual time from when the plane landed to when baggage began showing up at the baggage claim carousel and found it was only eight minutes, far less than the typical baggage claim wait time.
Airport officials then traced the steps of arriving passengers and realized that the arrival gate was only a one-minute walk to the baggage carousel. Passengers would arrive and wait for seven minutes before any bags arrived. Although the overall wait time was only eight minutes, passengers were spending 88% of that time waiting. The waiting was the problem, not the eight minutes.
The solution they implemented was unintuitive. Rather than trying to reduce the overall wait time, the airport changed the baggage carousel used for that flight to a carousel that was six times farther away from the arrival gate. While the overall wait time didn’t go down, complaints disappeared. By making passengers walk farther, by the time they arrived at the baggage carousel, bags were already arriving. Less idle waiting time was the answer.
The Power and Necessity of Distraction
Passengers didn’t need less waiting time, they needed to be distracted while they waited. Walking farther was a simple way to distract the passengers because walking involved movement and progress. The bags didn’t arrive any earlier, but walking surely beat arriving at baggage claim and staring impatiently at the carousel, waiting for bags to show up.
When waiting can’t be avoided the key to success is being prepared with useful distractions.
After my transplant surgery, I had hundreds of doctor appointments. Every one of them involved waiting. By the time I got in to see the doctor I was agitated and frustrated. One particular doctor noticed and suggested that I never go anywhere without a book. When I found myself waiting for an appointment, I could enjoy the time if I saw it as an opportunity to read (which I love to do.)
Sometimes it’s difficult to find time to read. But with book in hand, I began to appreciate the waiting at the doctor’s office because it gave me a chance to enjoy my book. That subtle but enjoyable distraction changed everything.
Here are a few things to help you get better at waiting:
Assume there will be waiting wherever you go. Waiting is part of life. It’s kind of ridiculous to be surprised when you find you’ll have to wait for something. Set your expectations accordingly.
Do your homework ahead of time. Make reservations whenever possible. Whether you are headed to dinner at a restaurant or the DMV, don’t be one of sorry souls who shows up without an appointment and finds themselves waiting hours for service.
Bring a friend when you know you’ll be waiting. Misery loves company, and good company can make waiting far more enjoyable.
Have your useful distractions on hand, always.
If you’re looking for ideas on the best useful distractions, here are some of the distractions I’ve found most helpful.
Books. Never leave home without one. With the Kindle app, you can literally carry your library on your phone.
Bring your earbuds or headphones so you can listen to music or enjoy a podcast or two or five. Listening to a good story makes time fly by.
Write notes and letters. Most people wish they did a better job keeping in touch with old friends. Have a list of people from your past with whom you’d like to stay connected. When you find yourself waiting, write them a letter. Better yet, find some old pictures of times you’ve shared together and send them some memories. Speaking of memories…
Take a stroll down memory lane by going through your photo reel from years gone by. You’ll be reminded of past adventures and inspired to plan your next trip.
Make lists. There’s no reason your waiting time can’t be productive. Do meal planning. Make your Christmas gift list. Make a list of the home projects that need to be completed. Prioritize the items on your to-do list. Make a list of the things you can get rid of to reduce the clutter in your life. And the list goes on.
Watch some Netflix. With the mobile app, you can bring your favorite tv shows and movies with you.
Dream big. Nothing rescues us from waiting like dreaming of better days ahead. Spend some time designing your future. Where do you want to go? Who do you want to meet? What experiences would you like to try? How would you like to make a difference in the world? Dreaming of a bright and beautiful future beats staring at the clock wondering how much longer you’ll have to wait.
What useful distractions will you use to make your waiting time more palatable? Don’t leave it to chance. Remember, when waiting can’t be avoided, the key to success is being prepared with useful distractions. Happy waiting.