10 Ways to Be Productive in Waiting Rooms ...

Whether or not you brought along your planner with you or you thankfully have an electronic one stashed away in your smart phone, one of the best ways to be productive in waiting rooms is plan out anything you’re unsure of for the remainder of the day or week. This is a great time to make decisions you haven’t had time to ponder, and work around a busy schedules and appointments. Think about it, if you have a hectic day like most people do, this is your one time to recline and listen to Mozart without being disturbed. So utilize this time and make sure all the little things are taken care of. This is an awesome way to be productive in a waiting room especially if you’re a busy mom and you have to worry about more than one schedule, other than your own.

This may seem like an obvious way to be productive in a waiting room, but a lot of the time people hesitate because it can be interpreted as rude. My belief is that if a doctor has kept you waiting for more than 30-45 minutes past your appointment time, being rude is the least of your concerns and frankly doesn’t make up for the fuss you should make if you’re still waiting in another hour. But beyond that, you can always step outside and let the receptionist know to come get you when your name is called. This is a great way to be productive in a waiting room if you have a secretarial or administrative job, so don’t hesitate to take care of those extra calls you have been putting off.

If you’re still in school, the waiting room is my ideal place to do homework. It’s the quietest, you have classical music in the background and no one will bother you until it’s your turn! So catch up on all your homework instead of sitting around being frustrated and upset.

These types of phone calls are way different than the ones for work, obviously, but nonetheless if you have a busy schedule you may be putting them off just the same. So take the time out to call you Bubbe! She’s in Florida and she misses you! I know my grandparents like to talk forever, so sitting in a waiting room with nothing to do is the perfect time to catch up with them, and a great way to be productive.

As we all know, waiting rooms are filled with magazines and newspapers. If you’ve been putting off shopping for spring, thumbing through a few magazines can’t hurt. If you’re still waiting after you’ve found a few items you can’t live without, feel free to even place a few orders. No time like the present!

If you have a smart phone, you’re go-to activity is checking it every chance you get. While this usually isn’t healthy on a regular basis- in a waiting room it can be essential. Check your emails, play some Tetris and maybe even check out the latest apps at the app store; allwomenstalk.com has an awesome app worth checking out!

Now breaking up with your significant other through text message is obviously never advised. But if you’ve been in a rocky relationship sometimes it’s the best way to say goodbye without an actual in person encounter. While you’re in a waiting room one of the best ways to be productive is to carefully plan out any messages you’ve been putting off, including that break up text to the guy who stood you up last week for a silly reason.

If you love to cook and bake like I do, while you’ve sitting in a waiting room doing absolutely nothing, thinking of recipes is a great alternative. Especially if you’re stuck in a waiting room around dinner time, you can plan out what you want to make for dinner. And thankfully since you’re probably surrounded by cooking magazines, when you’re drawing a blank feel free to thumb through them and maybe you’ll have that delicious epiphany you’ve been waiting for!

Some people don’t think this is productive at all, but in today’s world meditating every chance you get is the best thing you can do for yourself. Guided meditations are all over YouTube and when it doubt, focus on the cold air coming into your nose and mouth and the hot air leaving, feel your body relax with each breath.

Since you’re in a waiting room paying for whatever service you’re waiting for, it’s the receptionist’s responsibility to make sure you make it into your appointment. So don’t be afraid to take a short or long nap because chances are you’ll hear your name called when it’s your turn, and if not the receptionist will surely wake you up. When it doubt let him or her know you're taking a nap... and this may even encourage them to hurry on up with your appointment!

Being productive regardless of what kind of lifestyle you live can often be challenging. So don’t hesitate to follow these great ways to be productive in waiting rooms. Because after all, who wants to sit around waiting when you can start being productive? What else do you do to be productive in the waiting room? Do tell!