5 Tips for Patience in Turbo Thinkers©

Waiting in the checkout line.
Waiting for the other person to finish speaking.
Waiting for dinner time.
Waiting for your appointment to begin.
Waiting at the airport.

So. Much. Waiting.

As Turbo Thinkers, we often struggle with patience. Our racing minds produce so many ideas and we feel like we must act on them immediately. We feel that our bodies need to move immediately. We anticipate the next move, the next activity, the next best thing, and have trouble simply enjoying the present moment for what it is. Sometimes we have a book, fidget toy, stress ball or other tactile distraction to entertain our brains. Sometimes we find ourselves unexpectedly forced to enjoy our own company with nothing to do but to wait. 

What to do? Here are some strategies that have worked for some of my clients:

• Mindfulness activities.

• Breathing practices.

• Notice what is around you—what is the farthest thing you can hear? What is the closest thing you can hear? Can you hear your own breath? Your heartbeat? What do you see? Zoom out. Zoom in. What details do you notice?

• Notice your feelings.

• Notice your judgement about your feelings, yourself and others. How can you be curious about those thoughts? Where do they come from? Are they true?

• Playing imaginative games—making up stories about other people, what you see and hear.

• Making connections—striking up conversations with strangers, creating a positive exchange. Smiling is contagious!

• Remaining present—not looking at your phone to escape.

• Use time wisely. What can I do in 5 minutes? Can I read? Can I reply to an email or to a text message? Can I reach out to a relative or a friend? Can I pay a bill online?

Can you play around with these strategies? Do you have some of your own? Which will induce calm rather than anxiety? How can you remember them when you find yourself unexpectedly waaaaaaiiiiiiitiiiiiinnnnggggg……...

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