Things To Do While Waiting

Things To Do While Waiting

Life is full of waiting and waiting can be quite difficult and frustrating. So, whether you’re at a doctor’s office or at the train station, you may find yourself waiting longer than expected and perhaps bored or frustrated. Therefore, here is a list of things to do while you wait:

Call (or text) a friend. Time will go by faster if you’re talking to someone. You may even strike a conversation with a friendly stranger sitting next to you. However, stay aware of the policies of the waiting room, some waiting areas disallow cell phones or conversations altogether.

Read a magazine or newspaper. A great way to pass the time, it allows you to stay on top of current affairs, which may come in handy in conversations, especially when making small talk.

Waiting place. Photo by Elena

Arrive early; this is especially true of places where you have to take a number. Usually, there tends to be less people waiting in line at 8:30AM, than say at 2:00PM. However, it may not always be the case, as I remember a facility that opened at 7:00AM and when I arrived at 7:00 there were already twenty or so people ahead of me. Still, it was much better than the previous day when I arrived at 4:00PM, not to mention the clerks, nurses or whoever you need to see may be tired at the end of their working shift.

Solve a sudoku or a crosswords puzzle. Most newspapers today, even the free ones, have at least one puzzle to solve. Of course, most of these activities are only applicable if you can sit down while waiting. Hard to solve a puzzle while standing in line.

If you have a smartphone things get even easier since you can do many things. Connect to Wi-Fi (if available) or use cellular data to browse the Internet, play games, listen to music with earphones (obviously not recommended if you have to be called on by speakerphone or otherwise) or review your to-do-lists, planners or notes. Hope this helps!

A nice tip: Google Pixel 3 may be your best choice as a smartphone to play with while waiting!

They are patiently waiting. Photo by Elena