Patience can be hard to come by when we’re dealing
with setbacks, trying to do too many things at one time, approaching deadlines,
lacking motivation, having trouble getting ideas, etc. It can be easy to give in to negative thoughts,
bad attitudes, sloppy work, and inattention to detail. But when we get bogged down and stressed, patience can make our work its best. Patience can see us through the slow sales or response rates and into success. It can help us avoid errors and hard feelings. Patience can help us get the work done better, not just sooner. We just have to learn how to exercise it.
Dr. Judith Orloff, an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA, suggests getting in long, slow lines--at the DMV even, if you’re brave--to practice patience. In her September 18, 2012, Psychology Today article, “The Power of Patience,” Orloff says, “Practicing patience will help you dissipate stress and give you a choice about how you respond to disappointment and frustration. When you can stay calm, centered and not act rashly out of frustration, all areas of your life will improve.”
We don’t think any of us are willing to stand in a DMV line to learn patience, but if we make a little effort--a deep breath here and there--we’ll not only cultivate a skill that enables us to take control in out-of-control situations, but we’ll also develop a resource that will benefit us in all areas of our lives for as long as we live them.
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