(Im)patience: A Definition

Being a caregiver often involves managing multiple responsibilities simultaneously (work, family, studies, etc.). The time dedicated to caregiving can encroach upon other areas of life, such as leisure, relationships, studies, social interactions, work, etc. Patience can be severely tested in difficult situations, and maintaining self-control can be challenging. Some people are naturally more patient than others, but as humans, it is entirely normal to lose patience from time to time! However, if we lose patience too often or inappropriately, impatience can affect our relationships, increase our stress, or exacerbate an already difficult situation. Fortunately, it is possible to develop patience to prevent impatience.

Before exploring ways to prevent impatience, we offer a brief explanation of patience and impatience.

"Patience is a virtue that is acquired with patience" - Alessandro Morandotti

This quote reminds us that patience is a virtue because it is a skill that is difficult to master. It is defined as the ability to remain calm while waiting for a desired outcome. According to psychologist Sarah Schnitker, there are three types of patience: 1) interpersonal patience, 2) patience in the face of life’s challenges, and 3) patience with everyday inconveniences.

1) Interpersonal Patience

Interpersonal patience is the patience shown towards others, their demands, and their flaws. For example, a person with reduced autonomy might be slower to complete certain tasks. They may also be difficult to understand, make unreasonable demands, or have habits that bother or even irritate you.

2) Patience with Life Challenges

Patience with life’s challenges is equivalent to perseverance. When we must overcome obstacles, such as waiting for medical treatment or being involved in legal proceedings, frustrations can arise, leading to impatience or anger.

3) Patience with Everyday Inconveniences

Everyday inconveniences are situations beyond our control, like waiting in a long line at the grocery store checkout. In your day-to-day life as a caregiver, you likely often face situations beyond your control, which can test your patience.

And Impatience? ...

Impatience is a feeling of mounting stress resulting from frustration when our needs, expectations, or wishes are unmet or ignored. For example, meeting the needs of a person with reduced autonomy can sometimes mean neglecting our own needs and preventing us from fulfilling our desires. This can lead to frustration and then impatience. In some cases, this impatience can lead us to take impulsive actions, such as getting upset in a queue or getting angry with the person being helped, which will not improve the situation and might even worsen it. If you notice unusual signs of impatience within yourself, it could indicate that you're experiencing stress or even exhaustion. In such a case, or before these signs appear, we encourage you to seek help from a GASO facilitator or a health professional.