Practicing mindfulness is key
“It is only when we know when we are being impatient and exactly what is making us feel this way, that we can make a conscious choice to wait and stay the course. Make mindfulness a part of your daily routine. Start small with five to 10 minutes a day. There are several guided sessions and journaling prompts that one can access online as well,” she says.
While it may be easier to practice mindfulness in some situations, it could be difficult when it is a prolonged situation. But the good news is even the most impatient people can learn how to be patient by practicing mindfulness. When you find yourself getting restless, take a few deep breaths and your nervous system will slow down. This will help to centre you and make you feel more calm.
Focus On The Goal
When you find yourself getting impatient and restless or distracted, remind yourself of the goal. Ask yourself questions like, “why are you doing this, what will it feel like when you achieve this?”. This exercise helps shift our focus from the several distractions around us, reminds us of the value of the goal, and re-motivates us
Even if you still find yourself losing focus, don’t worry. Try to calm down, and remind yourself to respond rather than react to unwarranted circumstances. More often than not, it is not external circumstances that make you upset, it is your reaction to those external circumstances that causes more stress. So, do not resist experiences at all, practice acceptance. It will take you one step closer to your goal.
Plan ahead
“Impatience and distraction are not new to us. We know this will arise. Plan your day or project interspersing time for full focus and some time for distraction — create windows where you keep your phone away. Also, when you set goals, set realistic goals so you are better prepared for the adversities and have a lower chance of getting thrown by them,” Ms Ganguli.
Practice empathy
More often than not, our impatience is related to other people’s behaviours. Take some time and try to think from another person’s perspective. They might have their own troubles and reasons for behaving the way they are, which is why it is always important to empathise and be kind. When we practice empathy, we lower our own stress and frustration, and find it easier to be patient.
Delay gratification
“Train yourself in everyday little tasks to wait. If you want to eat that chocolate, make yourself wait till the evening. If you want to play a game, make yourself wait till you finish that one other task you had lined up. When your phone buzzes when you are eating lunch, wait till after your meal to check it. Small steps go a long way in building patience,” concludes Ms Ganguli.
So ladies, take your time to build patience. Do not try and rush things here as well, because it will require ‘patience’ if you want to learn how to be patient!
