How to Improve Your Patience: 7 Strategies

Dec 08, 2021 · 4

Patience is a virtue that is often praised, yet challenging to practice. In a world that values instant gratification and quick results, it can be difficult to develop and maintain patience. However, patience is a critical skill that can help us navigate various aspects of life, from work to personal relationships. It allows us to tolerate delays, setbacks, and difficulties, without becoming frustrated or giving up too soon.

Fortunately, patience is a skill that can be developed and strengthened with practice. In this blog post, we will explore seven effective strategies that can help you improve your patience. Whether you struggle with waiting in line, dealing with difficult people, or working on long-term goals, these strategies can help you cultivate greater patience and resilience in the face of challenges. By implementing these techniques, you can enhance your ability to persevere, adapt, and ultimately achieve your goals.

Strategies to Improve Your Patience

Try to Avoid Boredom
Boredom is one of the worst things to deal with when it comes to patience. When you are bored, your mind tends to wander and shift towards negative thoughts, which can lead you down a dark path. The best way for older adults to improve their patience and fight boredom is by engaging in activities that challenge them mentally and physically. This will help stop time from feeling like it's standing still while also giving you something productive to do during those moments when nothing else seems possible.

This could be anything from reading books (which helps expand our knowledge) to exercising (which releases endorphins into the brain) or cooking together as a family (which encourages social interaction). Whatever activity you choose, make sure that it aligns with your interests so that you'll be more likely to stick with it in the long run.
Take Short Breaks
When we're feeling overwhelmed by something, our natural inclination is usually to push through and power through until it's done. However, this isn't always the healthiest or most productive thing to do. In fact, sometimes, it can lead to even more frustration and anger if we're not careful.

A better way for older people to improve their patience is by taking short breaks throughout the day. This could mean stepping outside for a breath of fresh air, grabbing a cup of tea, or just closing your eyes for a bit. The key is to make sure that these breaks are actually restful so that you don't end up feeling more drained than before.
Speak With Your Doctor about Supplements
As we get older, our bodies start to change, which could affect how they process things like food and supplements. For this reason, it's important to speak with your doctor about any potential health conditions or medications that may affect how quickly your body can absorb certain vitamins and minerals.

Some great natural supplements today (like collagen) can help improve skin elasticity to reduce wrinkles while improving hair growth by strengthening follicles, so fewer of them fall out during combing/brushing sessions. If you think taking a supplement might benefit you in terms of patience, then make sure to talk with your doctor before purchasing anything.
Practice Patience with Yourself
How can a person expect to have patience with others if they're not patient with themselves? This is why it's so important for older people who have trouble being patient to take some time out of their day and practice self-care.

This could be as simple as taking a bath, going on a walk outside, or just spending an hour reading your favorite book in the sun. You don't need anyone else's approval or input when practicing patience with yourself because this should come from within. It might sound cheesy, but you only get one chance at life - make sure that you spend yours doing things that bring you joy!
Avoid Stress At All Costs
Stress has been linked directly to our health and mental well-being, so it's important to avoid as much stress as possible. This doesn't mean you need to move into a cabin in the woods or go live off the grid. Some great ways for older people to improve their patience include taking up a new hobby (which can help take our minds away from other things), going out with friends, traveling somewhere new, or getting lost in a good book or Netflix series.

Whatever activity you choose should make you feel completely engrossed and relaxed. This will ensure that time stands still while also giving your brain some needed downtime after dealing with day-to-day stress.
Relax and Take Deep Breaths
The body and mind are incredibly connected, so older people need to try their best to relax. This can be done through deep breathing exercises, meditation (which helps reduce anxiety), or taking long baths with relaxing music playing in the background. Something as simple as sitting down at the end of your day could help you calm down after dealing with lots of stressors throughout that day/week/month/year.

One way to ensure that you're practicing relaxation techniques is to avoid caffeine. This has been shown to increase overall tension levels rather than decrease them, as most people believe it does. Instead, opt for herbal teas, which also contain calming properties!
Be Mindful Of Your Surroundings
Just because other people might be in a rush doesn't mean that you need to be. It can be easy to get wrapped up in what's going on around us, but this can also lead to frustration and impatience, especially if we cannot control the situation.

One way of being mindful of your surroundings is by taking a step back and observing the situation as an outsider would. For example, you might realize that the person in front of you at the supermarket isn't doing anything wrong - they're just trying to get their groceries and leave. This is something we can all practice more often since it's good for our patience levels and helps us become better problem-solvers when dealing with any type of situation.

Improving patience takes time and practice, but it's certainly worth the effort. We all have moments when we feel overwhelmed or rushed, and these are the moments when our patience is truly put to the test.

If you're an older adult struggling with patience, don't worry. You're not alone. These tips are meant to help guide you on your journey to a more patient lifestyle.