“Hurry up in wait” is a term that has been used to teach us to be patient while waiting. Waiting occurs in many different areas of your life.

Arriving early for your doctor’s visit ahead of time, only to be told to wait to be seen. Attempting to open a page on your computer screen while it takes forever to load.

Waiting patiently in long lines at the grocery store for your turn to check out while feeling the line is not moving. You wait for a job promotion, get passed over, and are told maybe next time.

Have you ever felt frustrated about waiting for something essential and overwhelmed by what to do? If this resonates with you, we will discuss five ways to practice patience while waiting.

We will define the meaning of patience and review the following five ways to practice patience.

1. Focus on your objective
2. Live in the moment
3. Monitor how you feel
4. Slow down and breathe
5. Reframe your perspective

I am glad you are here. Let’s get started!

What does it mean to be patient?

Being patient is your ability to remain calm when faced with adversity or stressful situations.

The Oxford Dictionary describes patience as the ability “to accept or tolerate, delay trouble or suffering without getting angry or upset.”

Each of us will have moments when our patience is tested. This is part of living and will challenge you occasionally as you progress through life.

Now, let’s talk about how you can practice being patient and taking control of your life instead of letting circumstances control you.

1. Focus on your objective

Your objective is the reason behind your wanting to do something.

The objectives you may face are unique to your situation. For example, it can be completing a project or learning a new skill that requires time and effort. Or it could be as simple as waiting for a car repair.

Each objective can have a different timeframe associated with it that requires time for it to be completed.

Whatever objective you have established, focus on allowing time to see it to completion. If a big task requires more time, allow yourself time to see it through, even by doing a little each day.

2. Live in the moment

While waiting to complete your objective, learn to live in the moment.

We tend to want to rush things when we perceive that they are not happening fast enough. Another word for this is impatience.

You become frustrated and want that particular thing you have been waiting for taken care of immediately, right here and right now.

Learning to slow down and not allow yourself to get worked up over the situation involves staying present at that moment, not looking back or forward.

3. Monitor how you feel

There are images of cartoon characters blowing steam through their ears. It captures how we sometimes have an internal pressure build-up and must let it out.

The build-up of pressure manifests in various emotions—anger, frustration, anxiousness, and anxiety.

When you feel your emotions moving toward needing to blow out steam, you must acknowledge how you feel and step back to regain your composure before acting.

A way to do this is to count backward from 60 to 1. This gives you time to calm down and not react immediately. If you need to do it a second or third time, feel free to do so. Give yourself the time you need.

Another option is to step away from the situation momentarily. This does not mean ignoring it; give yourself time away from the situation to let your mind return to a calmer state.

4. Slow down and breathe

There are many health benefits to taking deep breaths. Here are a few examples:

• It helps lowers your blood pressure
• Allows oxygen to flow throughout your body
• Increases your energy
• It slows down your heartbeat
• It decreases stress and will enable you to be calm

Taking a few deep breaths when you feel overwhelmed or anxious allows you to regain control of your mind and think more clearly.

So, remember, take time to slow down and breathe.

5. Reframe your perspective

Have you ever reacted to a situation without thinking? This can happen when you are upset, feel rushed to make a quick decision, or do not evaluate all the facts.

If you feel rushed, step back and shift how you view your situation. Try to see the bigger picture of what you are experiencing.

Sometimes it requires seeing things from the point of view of others. Other times you may need to ask yourself what is causing you to feel frustrated or rushed.

The important thing is not to allow the situation you are facing to push your buttons. Ask yourself a few questions. Will this matter a year from now? How serious is the situation? Is it worth getting upset about it?

All these questions can help you slow down and evaluate how to respond. If it is not the end of the world and can wait, let it go and carry on.

Final thoughts

Patience is a life skill that can make a huge difference. We have examined five ways to help you become more patient in managing situations in your life.

These included remaining focused on your objective, living in the moment, monitoring how you feel about a situation, slowing down to take deep breaths, and reframing your perspective.

Throughout each day, please apply these to help you be patient while waiting.

Please leave your comments, questions, or ideas.   Thanks for visiting!