In our busy world, we have become used to the incredibly fast pace of life. Instead of writing a letter by hand and waiting days or weeks to get a response, we can send an email and can get an almost immediate reply. If you order something online, you can get it the same day or the next day. This instant or near-instant gratification has become commonplace, so when we actually have to wait for something, we become impatient. Patience in the workplace is key to being happier and productive, so identifying what causes frustration and working to fix that is important. Here are some tips on how to do that.
Identify what’s causing frustration.
Understanding what triggers frustration or impatience at work is the first step to fixing things. For example, does it frustrate you when meetings regularly run long? To fix that, schedule your next meetings 15 or 30 minutes past their anticipated end times, so you don’t feel rushed to get to the next thing. Or, perhaps you are frustrated by your co-workers lack of a quick reply via email or phone call. To remedy that, agree on a response time (either verbally or in an email or call) that works for both of you. Steps to dealing with triggers will help you avoid impatience or losing your cool.
Don’t take on too much.
Multitasking is important for many people in the workplace, but it is important to not take it all on at once. For example, are you writing an email, working on finalizing a spreadsheet, and listening to a Zoom call at the same time? You might be frustrating yourself by doing that and your productivity might be less because of that. So, commit to one task at a time. Doing this helps your mind focus better and while you might feel like you’re being ‘slow’ at first, you’ll ultimately get more work done with more accuracy over the long run.
Recognize that patience helps the team.
Have you worked with a team member or co-worker that is always on edge or irritable? Chances are, you don’t want to interact very much with that person. If your frustration has turned you into a person that is cranky, unapproachable, or tense, your team mates might want to avoid you. When you’re working on growing your patience, remember that it’s not just for your benefit, but it’s also for the benefit of your entire team, helping grow your workplace into a stronger, more collaborative culture.
When you practice kindness and patience with yourself, that will hopefully translate outward to others. So, strive for balance so you don’t feel frustrated or overwhelmed with the tasks at hand. Doing so ensures you’ll be a happier, more productive person, both in and outside of work.