If you are like most people, you hate waiting. Whether it’s waiting in line for coffee, having the phone glued to your ear on hold or watching the hourglass spin on your computer, it’s just frustrating. Indeed, some of the time you spend waiting will never be eliminated. But why not do something about the wait times you can control? Did you know that a recent Harris and Intel survey shows computer users can spend up to three days a year waiting for their technology? Intel has humorously named this ‘Hourglass Syndrome,’ but it’s not something you need to accept.
Computers: A source of frequent stress
Let’s face it, no one likes to wait. Regardless of the situation, we often feel stressed or frustrated waiting. We regularly rely on technology to help save us time, but, surprisingly, we often end up wasting valuable time waiting on slow or out-of date technology, particularly when it comes to computers.
Intel worked with Harris Interactive to issue a survey to find out how much people are waiting and found the average computer user spends about 13 minutes a day waiting for their technology to catch up with them, which equates to up to three days per year just waiting…and waiting. The study also found that 66 percent of computer users are at least somewhat stressed when waiting for their computer.
Intel humorously dubs this “Hourglass Syndrome” as a way to describe the stress and frustration that we experience while we watch the dreaded hourglass spin on our computer screens and wait for our technology to catch up with us.
Tips for a Stress-free Computing Experience
Some of life’s “waits” such as waiting in traffic or at crowded restaurants are inevitable and there’s nothing we can do to prevent them – but there are ways to reduce your computer-time stress.
1. Upgrade your technology
Although Hourglass Syndrome is not a real syndrome, you can beat it by upgrading your technology. A further incentive is that upgrading your technology isn’t as expensive as it used to be either. With so many choices out there, there’s something at just about any price point that can meet your needs.
2. Have a support network
Surrounding yourself with people who have had similar frustrating technology experiences will give you the ability to get and share advice, which will not only alleviate your stress but also help you find solutions for your technology issues.
3. Take a deep breath
Deep breathing slows down the mind and brings you back from a state of anxiety into reality. So if your computer freezes when you are in the middle of a project that is due yesterday, take some long cleansing breaths and relax.
4. Change your outlook
No situation is perfect, and nine times out of 10, there is the possibility of some stressful element being added to your experience. But knowing that things don’t always go perfectly can help you prepare for the unexpected that much easier.
No one likes to wait, especially when it comes to the technology that is designed to save time. Instead of letting slow technology stress you out, do something about it so you don’t spend minutes of every day battling Hourglass Syndrome.
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