Patience

Losing it! If you sort and review all Tweets referring to patience, you'll find a majority speak of losing patience, or needing more patience.  Why do so many people lose it daily?

Flying in the fast lane Seems like the pace of life's more like a sixty-yard dash than a marathon. On the job,  individuals are asked to do more. Naturally folks rush at what they do to fit more into a day. Frazzled feelings and impatience results in rushing. So even more time's needed to reach daily targets. That's not too surprising since adrenaline races through your body and without even realizing it, you're in "fight or flight" mode. Not only does rushing wear you out, it ages you prematurely.

Power of distractions Little joy's present - when folks rush. No wonder diversions bring momentary pleasure and relieve stress. A conversation with a buddy, daydreaming about a vacation getaway or simply doodling diverts focus from repetitive tasks. Whoa... diversions create more stress by taking away precious time. Consequently, folks must break a world record finish time to complete their laps for the team project by the deadline.

What is patience? "Simply put, it's the art of learning to wait and then of turning that waiting time into something good for you. Of course, this isn't always easy, not even close. Whether it's waiting for something good, like a birthday party, or dealing with deep pain like the death of a loved one, patience is all about time."

10 tactics to grow patience  Try one or many on for size... 

1. Daily targets - help organize your time. Jot them on a daily planner or list them on your phone. See if you get the same pleasure as me as you check these off. I learned to manage my time more efficiently when I began doing this daily. See how these work for you.

2. Hourly beeps - can focus attention and steer you clear of distractions.  You will get more done and have time for activities you enjoy at the end of a day.

3. Exert more wait power "Instead of exerting our willpower to get everything done as fast as possible," Boston Globe columnist Deborah Kotz points out, "we need to exert more 'wait power,'" as described in The Power of Patience, a best seller by M.J. Ryan.  "If not an intrinsic part of your personality, this habit -- like all others -- must be practiced and learned slowly over time," Kotz notes. "What better time to start, though, than this week, which would try the patience of even the calmest souls?"

4. Sleep's dividends - When you feel well-rested, "you have more energy, mental clarity, resilience for the hard things, patience, and wholehearted caring for others," neuropsychologist Rick Hanson notes.  Sleep primes your body and brain.  How much capital did you deposit in your sleep bank this week?

5. Power through knowing Most people are not aware of the events that drain patience. By writing to know you can be your own change agent. If you are willing to journal about losing it, you can develop a personal patience process.  Try a short paragraph daily so that it's quick and easy!

6. Three deep breaths When you feel you are losing patience concentrate on breathing deeply at least three times.  This takes focus off the problem and gives you a chance to step back and calm down.

7. Be attentive to events causing you to lose it   As you tune in more you can tune out by physically stepping back. Try smiling or say, "Let me think about that more and I'll get back to you."  More thought on your part will help you gain needed patience.

8. Baroque music Baroque's pace equals that of your heartbeats as you work at your desk.  See if it helps you pick up the pace of your work as it does for me.  Baroque helps you focus!

9. Picture your caricature  Imagine yourself as a cartoon character when you lose patience and how you'd prefer to be caricatured.  Begin to live the new reality.

10. Act opposite of problem Dr. Ellen Weber shows how stress masks as savior and strikes as killer. Your ability to spot good plummets with the cortisol chemicals’ effects from stress. While you’ll be typically hit with about 22 stressors on any ordinary day, it takes an awareness of stress to use serotonin strategies for well being in response to daily stress strikes. Ellen lists 10 brainpowered pathways away from stress.