OFW guide: How to manage your impatience

English cleric and writer Charles Caleb Colton once said, "Patience is the support of weakness; impatience the ruin of strength." Most of us are impatient at times. Whether you're an employee, a supervisor, or an entrepreneur, you will find that time is almost always against you with deadlines to beat and other requirements to comply with. All these can make you be impatient and see the world in a narrow perspective. Eventually, you end up rushing your tasks, making you prone to mistakes and lose focus on your goals. The career advice site Mind Tools said, "Losing control of our patience hurts not only us, but those around us. Impatience raises our stress level and can even cause physical harm to our bodies. Being impatient can also damage relationships." "Others often see impatient people as arrogant, insensitive, and impulsive. They can be viewed as poor decision makers, because they make quick judgments or interrupt people. Some people will even avoid impatient people, because of their poor people skills and bad tempers," it added. The business site Inc. provides three tips to help people conquer their impatience: (1) One step at a time To achieve your goals, there's a process you have to go through one step at a time. Not everything you want to do can be accomplished overnight. Usually, you have to go through a long process that will need your attention and planning. There will also be problems along the way that will hinder you or sidetrack you. It is thus important that you don't let your impatience hamper you in achieving your goals. Plan everything one step at a time and start to execute these plans. It would be good to acknowledge your achievements because reaching your minor goals all add up as you pursue your ultimate goal. (2) Share the “burden” Don't try to take on every problem that you encounter while trying to reach your goals alone. It will be good if you could find a partner who shares the same vision as you and is responsible and accountable for what may come your way. Make some friends or at least have a confidant with whom you could share your plans and problems with. This will make it easier for you to carry out your plans. (3) Pursue alternatives Wanting to achieve your goals as early as possible is normal. However, trying to hasten the process is definitely not good for this will undermine the whole project. Unless the benefits outweigh the effects, make sure to let your goals go through the natural process. While playing the waiting game, you could find activities that you could spend your time on. Engage in activities that make you learn skills or gain experiences that are constructive to your goals. This will help you later as you pursue other plans. - Andrei Medina, VVP, GMA News