Things to Do While Waiting in the Waitroom

A recent trip to the hospital proved to a very long day for me. A close family member was recently in the hospital having surgery. The procedure was only supposed to last an hour to an hour and a half. After nearly four and a half hours of my day had passed me by, extreme boredom had clearly set in. To make matters worse I saw others in the waiting room taking full advantage of their time. I eventually made it through the day, but vowed to never spend my time in a waiting room bored again. Here are some of the ideas that came to mind when thinking about how I would spend my time during the next go around.

Read a great book. Spending time in a wait room is a great time to catch up on your reading. The environment is usually perfect for reading as you will have lots of peace and quiet! Use your time in a waiting room to finish a book you've been working on, or to start a new book. Reading will help you to take your mind off of any worries that you may have concerning the family member that is having a procedure done. Some books may even provide some needed encouragement during your hospital visit.

Enjoy some tunes. Hospital visits provide a great time to listen to your music. What a great way to pass the time as you are spending hours in a waiting room. With the Ipod and other mp3 players, you can carry your entire musical library right in the palm of your hand. List to some new music you've just got, or catch up on some old albums you haven't listened to in a while. You might want to consider a nice pair of noise-reduction headphones. Their shouldn't be a lot of noise in the waiting room, but these headphones can block out what noise their may be, making your listening experience great!

Catch up on some work. As a teacher I am always looking for opportunities to catch up on work. Sitting in a waiting room could certainly be just the opportunity I was looking for. Waiting rooms are quiet so I will be able to focus on my work. While I won't have my nice desk, like at work, I can find a table or an extra chair to use instead. Whatever your profession may be, if you are going to be stuck at the hospital for a while, take advantage of your time and catch up on your work. Some hospitals even have wireless internet so you can bring your laptop and get your work done.

Rest. People in a waiting room often leave tired and exhausted. They've spent so much time waiting and worrying about their family member or friend that they can't wait to get home and get some rest. Why not reverse this situation? Find a way to get some extra rest while you are waiting. Find a comfortable spot and take yourself a power nap. Sleep is will help you reduce stress and allow you to be more comforting to your family member when the time calls for it.

Spending time in a waiting room doesn't have to be a boring and tiresome experience. There are lots of things you can do to help pass the time and occupy your mind while waiting for someone you love. The next time you find yourself in such a place, remember the above mentioned ideas to help.