Waiting is a delay, a form of inaction. It is described as remaining idle while anticipating an event. Our perception of waiting is primarily influenced by two areas of the brain. (PsychCentral) As an alarm system, the amygdala sustains and alters fear and anxiety. While the cerebral cortex is in charge of attention, perception, language, and thought, it is continuously looking for danger. The amygdala triggers the brain stem and nervous system, whereas worry in the cerebral cortex may warn the amygdala of potential danger. Breath shortens, muscles tense, teeth clench, and pulse rate rises when the fear reaction is triggered.
According to Batiste Dawson, “many have discovered that when dangerous stimuli are physically in front of us, our fight, flight, or freeze response is triggered.” “The truth is that our brain and body react as though the harmful stimuli were already occurring when we merely think about them.” (psychologytoday). Let’s talk about queue psychology for a second here.Â

Queue Psychology
The study of how individuals view and react to lines, waiting, and queuing is known as queue psychology. It is the psychology of queue waiting and the emotions that people experience during that time. And we are surrounded by its effect. The reason music plays while you’re on hold at the bank is due to queue psychology. For this reason, bakeries and the DMV have a take-a-number system. For this reason, we have magazines at doctor’s offices, progress bars on computers, and mirrors in lifts.Â
The main conclusion of queue psychology is that people’s feelings during the waiting process are more important than the length of the queue or the wait time. The purpose of the aforementioned commonplace events is to improve the experience of waiting.
How is our Perception of time affected while Waiting
- Time that is not occupied seems longer than time that is: Time flies when you have something to divert your attention. Because individuals enjoy looking at themselves, some hotels include mirrors near the lifts.
- People are eager to begin: For this reason, the orthodontist places a patient in the examination room twenty-five minutes before the start of her exam, and restaurants provide you with a menu while you wait.
- Wait times appear longer when anxious: The wait will appear longer if you believe you’ve picked the slowest line at the pharmacy or if you’re anxious about finding a seat.
- Compared to known, finite durations, uncertain waits are longer: When informed, “The doctor will see you in thirty minutes,” individuals tend to wait more calmly compared to being told, “The doctor will see you soon.” This aligns with the idea that uncertainty amplifies the perceived length of a wait. Maister humorously illustrates this with a personal observation: arriving thirty minutes early to an appointment feels manageable, but just three minutes past the scheduled time can trigger irritation and the recurring question, “How long will I have to wait?”
- Wait times that cannot be explained are longer than those that can: When there is a thunderstorm, we wait for the pizza person more patiently than when the sky is clear.
- Wait times for unfairness are longer than those for equity: People generally prefer equitable wait times. For instance, when there is no clear or fair system to determine who boards the next car on a crowded tube platform, it can cause anxiety among those waiting. The “First In, First Out” (FIFO) rule works well in many situations, ensuring fairness. However, challenges arise when certain individuals, such as high-priority clients or those with urgent needs, require immediate attention. In such cases, separating service channels can help. For example, phone-based customer service representatives should ideally operate in a different space from in-person customer service staff to avoid perceptions of unfairness.
- Customers will wait longer for more valuable services: Speaking with a doctor will take more time than speaking with a salesperson. Compared to buying a toothbrush, you will have to wait longer to purchase an iPad.
- Waiting alone seems longer than waiting in a group: People tend to become less conscious of the wait time when they engage with others. In some instances, waiting in line becomes an integral part of the overall experience. For example, attendees at book signings have often shared that they genuinely enjoyed the time spent chatting with others in the queue, highlighting how social interaction can turn waiting into a positive and memorable experience.
How is our mood affected by waiting?
While scientists previously lacked definitive answers, recent research is attempting to shed light on the matter. In a study published in Nature’s Human Behaviour Journal, researchers from University College London and NIH found that “the average person’s mood declined about 2% per minute” while waiting. They dubbed this effect “Mood Drift Over Time,” or simply “mood drift.” The study asked over 28,000 participants to rate their mood at regular intervals while they were at rest or completing standard psychology study tasks online, after which they underwent brain scans.
The researchers essentially stated that if one group of participants is made to wait longer than another before a task, they will begin that task feeling less happy. According to the researchers, “this could lead to changes in brain activity and behaviour that the researchers might mistake for a difference in that group’s traits.” People preferred to shock themselves with electricity instead of sitting by themselves thinking, according to a 2014 study that was published in Magazine Science. The scientific explanation for why waiting results in anxiety and mood swings is that waiting is a form of inaction, a delay; even when you are actively involved in an activity, a part of you is still waiting for something to happen.
Tips to Reduce Anxiety While Waiting
1. Gain Self-Compassion and Awareness
The discipline of focusing on your current emotions while attempting to observe them as impartially and without bias as you can is known as mindful emotional awareness. Being aware entails paying attention to a sense, like your breath or the way your feet feel on the ground, and then taking note of any thoughts, feelings, or desires that may be there. Instead of questioning why the anxiety is occurring, wishing it would go away, or criticising yourself, try to be understanding of your experience and create space for your feelings.

2. Provide Assistance for the Senses
Waiting is a sensory experience that is connected to our perception of time. Using relaxing sensory stimulation, like music and aromatherapy, to support oneself is another method to reduce anxiety. While aromatherapy may assist lower anxiety by triggering particular bodily reactions, music might help one tune out the outside world. with a therapeutic context, making a sensory bag can aid with anxiety management. A sensory bag is a tiny, makeup-sized bag that could contain things like aromatherapy products, peppermints, or fidget toys.
Read More: Why time feels like it’s moving faster as you age
3. Take Deep breaths
An efficient method for managing anxiety while waiting is deep breathing, which may be done at any time or place. It can be used prior to an exam, a significant interview, or the release of test results. The body’s elevated stress hormone levels can be lowered by deep breathing. The mind can be calmed by using relaxation techniques like body scanning and 4-7-8 breathing.
4. Change your Attention
Distracting from anxiety can be challenging at times. Concentrating on actions that are in line with significant aspects of your life, such as getting back in touch with a friend while you’re waiting, finding a class to use your creativity, or doing something helpful for someone else. Anxiety can be reduced by concentrating on the areas of life that are significant to you and under your control. Although it may require some practice to master, this ability can pay off in the long run.Â
5. Experiment with Various Methods
Other research-supported strategies to lessen waiting anxiety include establishing a system of timely updates throughout a waiting period, seeking peer-to-peer support, participating in pet therapy, and massaging your hands.
Waiting, often seen as a form of inaction, is deeply tied to our psychological and emotional responses. The interplay between the amygdala and cerebral cortex shapes our perception of waiting, often triggering anxiety and mood fluctuations. Queue psychology highlights that how we feel during the wait matters more than the wait itself, with factors like distractions, social interaction, and transparency easing the experience. Understanding and managing waiting through mindfulness, sensory aids, deep breathing, and meaningful distractions can significantly reduce its impact on our mental well-being. By adopting these strategies, we can transform waiting from a source of stress into an opportunity for calm and reflection.
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