Are You in a Hurry? Average Wait Times Might Drive You Crazy but You Can Still be Productive

Are You in a Hurry? Average Wait Times Might Drive You Crazy but You Can Still be Productive

 

Anyone who knows me will probably tell you I am on the fast-moving side.  I don’t like to wait in long lines or in traffic.  I recently had a doctor make me wait over 3 hours just to see him.  Because this just happened, I found the following chart listing some average wait times to be interesting:

What’s the Hurry

A look at average wait times:

  • Hospital emergency room: 4 hours, 7 minutes
  • California Department of Motor Vehicles: 42 minutes, 32 seconds
  • Main security line at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport during Monday morning rush: 25 minutes
  • PRIMARY-CARE PHYSICIAN: 22 minutes
  • McDonald’s drive-through window: 2 minutes, 54 seconds

Sources: Press Ganey Associates; California DMV; Transportation Security Administration; QSR Magazine

via online.wsj.com

Before Ipads and other portable devices, it was a lot more frustrating for me to wait.  Now I can actually be productive while sitting in that doctor’s waiting room for 3 hours. I can multi-task and not simply read their latest copy of Fly Fishing. 

Many may think that some of these devices are too expensive and not worth the investment.  I think for some people, the cost of our time must be factored into the equation.  How much is your time worth?   Many people travel, carpool or do a lot of activities where they are just simply sitting doing nothing.  Some people like the downtime.  For me, I get a little antsy.

The beauty of having audio books, educational seminars, and access to the Internet, can not only make the frustration of waiting more bearable, but it is the ultimate way to multi-task, allowing you to actually learn something and be productive as well.  This can be important when you are forced to sit and wait and wait and wait . . . did I mention my doctor made me wait for 3 HOURS?