I was asked to provide coaching for an individual that was struggling to come to terms with the fact that things did not always happen as quickly as they expected. They needed some ideas as to how to control their feelings at those times so here are some of the ideas that we developed:

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• Try not to plan everything out in your head in advance. Yes, we have plans, but things don't always work out exactly the way that we have mapped them out. Things change so expect the unexpected.
• Accept that others may complete tasks more slowly than you do
• Rather than getting impatient with delays - start to focus upon training others to a point where they can complete tasks as quickly and effectively as you can. (Use your own energy in a more positive fashion)
• Remind yourself that things take time. And while we don't want to waste time - there are some things that just can't be rushed...
• Recognise that your impatience rarely gets others to move faster - in fact, it can interfere with other people's ability to perform complex or highly-skilled work. (All you may be doing is creating more stress, which is completely unproductive).
• Keep your expectations realistic. This applies not only to circumstances, but also the behaviour of those around you.
• Force yourself to slow down. Make yourself speak and move more slowly. To others you will appear to be more "calm" and, by "acting" patient, you can often "feel" more patient.
• If things are taking longer than expected, take advantage of the "gift of time". Read a newspaper, surf the net, go to the gym or do something that will take your mind off the delay and provide some personal satisfaction instead.
• Accept that mistakes will be made and that things will run late from time to time. So when things are less important shrug things off when they don't go to plan rather than getting frustrated. Let things go...
• Be patient - if something is not happening and you have no control over it, move your focus elsewhere.
• "Go with the flow". Allow yourself opportunities to let things slide a bit without or thinking about what else you could be doing.
• Don't be tempted to get everything 100% right (Often 85% will suffice).

Author: John Richmond
Team Leadership Services