7 easy ways to deal with impatient people

Last Updated on August 15, 2023 by Angela Vaz

Do you feel like you’re walking on eggshells all the time?

That’s how it can feel when you’re around an impatient person or are dealing with impatient people.

It’s not easy.

Especially if you’re sensitive and take what people say to heart.

It would help if you had a lot of patience to deal with someone who has none or close to zero patience.

Having been an impatient person all my life and then living with one for a long time, I realized what it’s like to be on both sides.

With time, I’ve learned how to be patient and deal with impatient people.

In this post, I want to talk about the methods that have worked for me when it comes to dealing with impatient people.

Let’s dive in.

But before that really quick, get my free guide on how to really reset your life.

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What causes a person to be impatient?

Impatience is a byproduct of anger and frustration.

A person becomes frustrated and impatient when they don’t get what they want immediately.

It happens when expectations aren’t met or when a person has to wait for more than the desired time to get an outcome.

In today’s world, technology, the internet, and advancements in the digital world have made processes so much more seamless and smoother.

This has led to people expecting things to happen so much more quickly.

People can buy groceries, hire help, and book tickets around the world in minutes via a click of a button.

So, waiting has become rare.

And when we’re made to wait or have to be patient, we are being asked a lot because we’re just not used to waiting.

However, there are many things in life that you won’t get immediately.

And some things are worth the wait.

Being patient will only make you happier and more content.

However, if you’re on the other end and have to deal with an impatient person or impatient people, it can be really hard.

And this is what I’m going to cover now.

Let’s learn how to deal with impatient people now.

How to deal with impatient people – 7 easy ways

Learn how you can deal with impatient people, here are some ways

1. Show them you’re listening

Impatient people want to be heard.

They want someone to pay attention to them.

So, give them what they want and listen to what they have to say.

Remember, what they’re saying to you is almost never personal.

Listen to what they’re saying while making direct eye contact.

2. Do not ask them to calm down

This belittles an impatient person, and they will feel that you’re not taking them seriously. It could lead to them getting angrier because it can feel like you’re dismissing their feelings and not listening to what they’re saying.

Instead, acknowledge what they’re saying with words like, “I understand.” or “I get what you’re saying.”

This will make them feel heard, and they will understand that you’re taking their concerns seriously.

3. Do not react

It can be really easy to lose your calm when an impatient person talks rudely to you or speaks to you with little to no respect.

It’s understandable.

But remember, your goal is to diffuse the situation – not fuel it to become worse.

So, keep calm.

And remember that this is almost never personal.

An impatient person has issues to work with, and their behavior is on them, not you.

Here are some tips to help you not react with anger:

Take a deep breath or a few deep breaths
Remember that this is not personal. A lot of people don’t realize what they’re saying when they’re angry or upset.
Take some time off. If you are unable to handle the situation because it is stressing you out or making you angry, take some time to calm down and gather your thoughts.

4. Allow them to talk

See if there is any way to salvage the situation or help the person calm down.

Impatient people just want to be heard.

And they’re mostly highly vocal with their thoughts. They will interrupt, speak out of turn, try to make unreasonable demands or requests, and expect turnaround times to be less than a second.

The best way to deal with an impatient person is to let them talk.

5. Ask how you can help

And once they’re done, see if there is anything you can do to help them calm down.

You can also ask them what solution they are looking for and see if you can accommodate it.

If it isn’t, be gentle with your words.

Talk specifically about the situation and avoid using any words that sound like you’re blaming them.

For instance, instead of saying, “This is unreasonable of you to request this, and I cannot do it.” you can try saying, “This is not how we operate. And I cannot do this.”

6. Be open and honest

If the person is close to you, like a colleague, a friend, or a partner, you can talk to them to let them know how you feel about their behavior.

You have every right to do so if their behavior is directly affecting you.

Pick your moment, though.

Take them out for a nice meal, and while you’re sitting down and talking to them, bring up the subject slowly.

Explain to them how their impatience is causing you stress or anxiety or is something you are finding difficult to deal with.

Talk to them and discuss how both of you can make adjustments to deal with this better.

I have a friend who always rushed me because she had trouble waiting.

And I realized it was increasing my anxiety. So, I sat her down and explained to her how this was affecting me. And she started being more patient.

She still needs reminders, but I can see vast improvements, and it all started with a simple heart-to-heart conversation.

7. Don’t waste your energy

If you’ve tried reasoning with the person and even offered to help them or had a heart-to-heart chat, and it’s still not working – let it go.

Sometimes, people are inherently impatient and refuse to see how their behavior affects the people around them.

In this case, it’s best to ignore them and make peace that they aren’t going to change and learn to live with it.

How to deal with impatient people at work

Dealing with impatient people at the workplace can be challenging.

Working in an office or a company requires a lot of patience because your team might be big, and you will be communicating and dealing with people from all walks of life.

Here are a few things to remember when dealing with impatient co-workers or an impatient senior or boss.

1. Understand where they’re coming from

Most people get impatient at the office due to stress.

They may be pressured by higher-ups to complete something or may be dealing with specific issues unknown to you.

If they handle their stress poorly, they take it out on people around them, and if you happen to be the person that’s around them or have to work with them daily, then you’ll bear the brunt of their impatience.

Never take it personally because they’re usually working with a deadline or have some personal problem they’re not able to talk about.

Either way, it’s more to do with them than with you.

2. Remain calm

If a person loses their patience around you or starts making unreasonable demands listen to what they have to say.

See, if there is anything you can actually do to help ease the situation and calmly talk to them.

My mum had a very impatient boss who kept her on her toes all the time.

But when things got out of hand, she’d draw her boundaries in a calm manner and explain to him patiently why something wouldn’t work out.

3. Be proactive

When a person is impatient, they don’t want you to apologize. They want all hands on deck or need a task to be finished.

See, if you can help them. And tell them very clearly that you’ll do what you can to help them with the issue.

This will help them calm down.

How to deal with an impatient partner

Learn how you can deal with an impatient partner or spouse

If your spouse or partner is impatient and you’re finding it difficult to understand them or deal with their impatience, then keep reading to learn how you can deal with them without losing your cool.

1. Listen to what they have to say

Being in a relationship requires a great deal of patience.

However, being in a relationship with an impatient person requires a godly amount of patience.

Be supportive.

When you’re listening to your impatient partner, just listen. Don’t interrupt them or attempt to make suggestions on how they can fix their problem.

Just be there for them and listen to what they have to say.

2. Don’t make them wait

If you are in a relationship with an impatient person, you need to be very organized and systematic. This involves you becoming an excellent planner.

Impatient people get along very well with people who are punctual and plan things in advance.

This is a skill that you can pick up with a bit of practice.

When you’re going out with your partner, make sure that you’ve planned your day accordingly.

Book reservations in advance, plot out how much time you’ll be spending at each location, and stick to the schedule.

Let them know beforehand how the day is going to go so that they know what to expect.

3. Never take it personally

Your partner might just be hungry or may have had a bad day at work and needs someone to listen to their problems.

Either way, don’t take their lack of patience personally.

Try to understand what usually triggers their impatience and see if you can help them with those situations.

Learn what calms them down.

And try to be more sensitive to their feelings.

Dealing with an impatient partner will require you to be more calm and mature.

4. Talk to them

If they’re flying off the handle a lot and it’s getting too much for you to deal with, then try talking to them about how you feel.

If you feel the relationship is worth it, then have an honest and open heart-to-heart chat about how their impatience affects you.

Be very honest and calm.

Make sure you have their undivided attention when you are having this conversation.

If your partner rushes you in the morning, try to see if you can reach a compromise. Point out the moments that they are rushing you or making you feel stressed and talk about how you can resolve this.

The goal is to help them see that their behavior towards you is not helping the relationship. If it leads to an argument, back away and suggest that you have the conversation some other time.

Understand that communication is very important in a relationship, and when you can be honest with your partner, you can both grow together in the relationship.

If this relationship means a lot to you and you’ve decided to grow with this person, then don’t give up on them.

Love them and work towards a mutual understanding, so both you and your partner are on the same page.

Conclusion

Dealing with impatient people requires twice as much patience on your end because you can’t let their impatience affect you.

And no matter where you are in life, you will run into impatient people often.

Keep these tips in mind, and you should be able to work with them more efficiently.

I wish you nothing but the best.

7 easy ways to deal with impatient people

What causes a person to be impatient?