Quiet waiting times even without a smartphone
I'm always amazed at how many people literally wipe out a cell phone ban in doctors' offices and hospitals. As soon as it's time for a phone call and texting, playing or listening to music. You'll learn (whether you like it or not), what new ringtones are hip and what's on Family XY's for dinner. In America, this is called the TMI. The abbreviation stands for? To Much Information? and aptly sums up the problem of involuntary listening.
At such moments, I just feel old school. I use my mobile to make calls when it matters. Not to tell anyone from the waiting room that the subway is full of animals? and I was super bored? I do not play "Angry Birds"? Pokémon Go ?, and never the unquenchable urge to quickly share a post in my Facebook chronicle. What did people do before they got these pants pocket computers? Have you been bored? As far as I know so far no cases of deadly boredom are documented. For my part, I can honestly say that I have never bored myself in my life. As long as I have my head, there is always something I can deal with.
Which brings us to the actual topic of this article: Waiting time, no matter where, makes sense. First, let's take a look at the classic situations where waiting times arise.
Top four of the wait
Of course, all the following numbers and times are statistical average values that may differ from personal experience.
4th place: Queue at the supermarket checkout
The average German spends about seven whole days a year in supermarkets and other shops. This results in 6.9 minutes waiting time at the checkout per purchase, extrapolated on an annualized six-hour basis. Germany is ranked 13th in the European ranking. The Portuguese are the shortest with 2.5 minutes and the longest the Greeks with 13.7 minutes.
3rd place: wait at the doctor
The waiting times differ depending on which doctor is visited. The fastest way is the dentist with about 13 minutes, the longest one waits 37 minutes with the ophthalmologist. On average, all medical specialties are 24 minutes. The statistically 17 doctor visits a year come together so a waiting time of 6 hours and 24 minutes.
2nd place: stuck in traffic
The German? Heilig? S Blechle? is a real time hog: The average driver spends about 38 hours per year in a traffic jam. It is particularly hard on commuters who spend up to 58 traffic hours behind the wheel each year.
1st place: waiting at the computer
Despite high-speed Internet and high-performance PCs, the longest waiting times on home desktop or laptop arise: 156 hours per year, users wait for their computer to start up, download and install programs or finally turn the Windows hourglass back into a cursor arrow , I would not have thought that, but I hold it in doubt with Churchill, who (allegedly) said: "Never trust statistics that you did not fake yourself."
Take advantage of forced breaks
Also wait is lifetime. Anyone who becomes aware of this fact can see in the waiting more than a disturbing and annoying interruption of the usual procedure. How often do you hear the phrase? I have too little time for myself ?? Well, the wait is ours, what's stopping us from using it? In the following I summarize briefly, so I like to bridge waiting times.
Without tools
You can always do a quick round of brain jogging in a jam or in a queue at the supermarket, for example:
- Add the prices of items in the shopping cart as accurately as possible in the header and compare them later with the actual amount paid.
- Reverse from any 4-digit number in 7-digit increments. The seven is very uncomfortable at subtracting and challenges the brain. Advanced take sevens powers, ie 14 or 21.
- Talking backwards in a thoughtful sentence in the head. Example: "dog walk with that still I go afterwards". Advanced learners can also spell out the individual words of the resulting sentence backwards.
- Make short, funny sentences out of the letters of license plates. For example, from HD-SN? Today seniors may nude bathing ?. If it takes longer form as many variants as possible (severe continuous rain shocks Nordfriesland).
With tools
If you sit while waiting, for example, at the doctor, also aids such as pen and paper can be used.
- The classic: Take the book, which has been lying on the bedside table for weeks, and read on.
- Write a to-do list for the next few days in the (brought) notebook.
- Fold simple origami figures (which is also great for talking to other people waiting, if you want to).
- Pack up a puzzle book and solve crossword puzzles or sudoku.
- Consider and note down topics for tips on TheFruitAndFlowerBasket :)
- Just close your eyes, take a deep breath and let your thoughts stray.
Especially for the waiting time at the computer
Do everything except stick to the screen and watch the progress bar. Then it lasts (feels) much longer. Get up early, do a few short gym exercises, cook a cup of tea, or clean out the dishwasher. By the way, on the wall next to my computer is a dartboard? meanwhile am I doing pretty well in practice?
What do you do when you have to wait?
