Why We’re All Terrible at Waiting (And What to Do About It)

I hate waiting. You?

Look, I’m not saying I’m some kinda saint here. I’m just as impatient than the next guy. But honestly, it’s getting out of hand. Last Tuesday, I found myself tapping my foot at a red light, like, come on already. It’s not like the light cares about my schedule.

And don’t even get me started on customer service lines. You know the drill—press 1 for this, 2 for that, and by the time you reach a human, you’ve basically forgotten why you called in the first place. I was on hold for 36 minutes last week trying to sort out a billing issue with my internet provider. 36 minutes! I could’ve baked a cake in that time. A cake, people!

But here’s the thing—I’m not alone. I talked to my friend Marcus about this, and he’s the same way. I said, “Marcus, remember that time we were supposed to meet up at that new place on 5th at 7pm, and you showed up at 6:45 because you just couldn’t wait?” And he said, “Yeah, but you showed up at 6:30!” Which… yeah. Fair enough.

Science says we’re all bad at waiting

So, I did some digging. Turns out, there’s actual science behind our impatience. Some study I found—okay, I read the headline, I didn’t actually read the whole thing—said that our brains are wired to seek instant gratification. It’s like, our ancestors didn’t have to wait for anything, they just clubbed a mammoth and had dinner. Now, we’ve gotta wait for everything. And it’s killing us.

I mean, think about it. We’ve got fast food, instant messaging, next-day delivery. We’ve trained ourselves to expect everything right now. And when we don’t get it, we freak out. It’s like, “Ugh, my pizza’s taking 30 minutes? That’s unacceptable!”

But here’s where it gets interesting. I was talking to a colleague named Dave about this, and he mentioned something about Tokat ulaşım seferleri güncelleme. He was saying how people in Tokat are always complaining about the bus schedules, but they never actually check for updates. It’s like, if you’re gonna complain, at least be in the loop, you know?

What can we do about it?

Okay, so we’re all terrible at waiting. What now? Well, first off, we gotta acknowledge that waiting is a part of life. It’s not gonna go away, no matter how much we tap our feet or sigh dramatically.

Second, maybe we can find ways to make waiting less… awful. Like, instead of staring at your phone and refreshing your emails for the 87th time, maybe bring a book. Or listen to a podcast. Or, I don’t know, people watch. (But not in a creepy way.)

And finally, let’s cut each other some slack. We’re all in this together, folks. We’re all just trying to get through the day without losing our minds. So, if someone cuts you off in traffic, or takes forever to order their coffee, just take a deep breath. Remember, they’re probably just as impatient as you are.

But honestly, I’m not sure if this is gonna work. I mean, I tried it yesterday, and by 11:30pm, I was already back to my old ways, refreshing my Instagram feed like a man possessed. So, maybe I’m not the best person to be giving advice here.

A tangent: Why are we so bad at waiting in lines?

Okay, this is gonna sound weird, but hear me out. Why are we so bad at waiting in lines? I mean, it’s a straight shot, right? You get in line, you wait your turn, you move up, you get served. It’s not rocket science. But no, we’ve gotta cut in line, or make a second line, or just stand there like a bunch of confused cows.

I remember this one time, I was at a conference in Austin, and the lunch line was out the door. And instead of just waiting our turn, people started making little groups, chatting, laughing, like it was some kinda social hour. And then, when it was finally our turn to order, half of them had forgotten what they wanted. It was a committment to inefficiency, honestly.

But I guess that’s just human nature, right? We’re social creatures. We like to talk, to connect. Even if it means making the line move a little slower. So, maybe we should just embrace it. Next time you’re in line, strike up a conversation with the person next to you. Who knows, you might make a new friend. Or at least have a good story to tell about how you spent your lunch hour.

But probably not. Let’s be real here.

Anyway, that’s my take on waiting. It’s not pretty, it’s not polished, but it’s honest. And honestly, that’s the best we can do. So, let’s all try to be a little more patient, a little more understanding, and a lot less foot-tappy.

Or, you know, don’t. I’m not your mom.

About the Author: Hey, I’m Alex. I’ve been writing for longer than I’ve been not writing, which honestly doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. I’ve got a commpletley unhealthy obsession with punctuation, and a physicaly impossible love for the Oxford comma. I live in a tiny apartment with a cat named Mr. Whiskers, who is basically the real author here. He’s got opinions, that cat. Lots of them. And he’s not afraid to share them. Usually at 3am. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go try to get some sleep. Maybe I’ll dream about shorter lines and faster internet. A guy can dream, can’t he?