We all can’t wait for our next camping trip (ours is in 2 weeks time) but it seems that Brits are used to playing the waiting game.
In fact, new research reveals the average Brit will spend the equivalent of nearly two YEARS of their life…just waiting.
Researchers took an in depth look into how long us Brits spend aimlessly hanging around, with waiting in supermarket queues, delayed flights and waiting impatiently for phones to charge among the main time wasters.
Load-Rage
The average Brit will spend TEN HOURS a year waiting for laptops and computers to load and 45 minutes every month will be spent waiting for video buffering to stop, according to the study by TalkTalk.
The research found 11 minutes a week will be spent waiting for our phones to update and the equivalent of nine hours a year will be spent twiddling our thumbs while TV and films painstakingly download.
With many of us online shopping, streaming films or watching live TV on the internet while using other devices at the same time, the demands of modern homes have surpassed standard broadband.
It’s no wonder that waiting for the internet is causing Brits to lose their cool so much – 138 times year to be precise – that TalkTalk has coined the term “Load Rage” to describe this modern-day phenomenon.
However, upgrading to speedier fibre broadband will reduce internet waiting time and return some valuable time.
Laurent Kretzschmar, Head of Product at TalkTalk explains:
“We all lead increasingly busy lives and our time is valuable.
“Although technology and connectivity have accelerated so many aspects of our lives, with countless devices all connecting to our internet, many busy households have outgrown standard broadband.
“While a faster internet connection won’t speed up post office queues, fibre broadband gives you the speed and the bandwidth you need to stream, download, browse and upload at the same time without slowing your experience, giving you some precious time back.”
Restaurant Rage
Aside from internet induced ‘load rage’, the study also revealed sitting in traffic, waiting in for deliveries to arrive and eagerly waiting for food to be served in restaurants were among the things we got fed up of waiting for.
The research uncovered that 14 percent of Brits spent so long hanging around they shouted at a shop assistant and 23 percent have cried in frustration that they were having to wait so long – but it seems we don’t wait patiently any more. The typical adult complains in a shop, restaurant, doctor’s surgery or on the phone NINE times a month about how long something is taking.
Transport Frustrations
The typical adult will dedicate 48 minutes of every month waiting for the bus to pull up, the poll of 1,500 Brits found. The data also revealed we spend 38 days of our life waiting for parcels and goods to be delivered to our house, with a further 18 days spent queuing in the post office.
Of course these frustrations are worse if you have to take several buses to reach your destination. Trying to plan a visit to her client, Surrey PR agency, PR in HR, Lisa Baker says she is grateful for her husband’s help, saying:
“I’m grateful for modern technology, I don’t have to visit clients very often, getting to Surrey by bus from Wales is nigh on impossible – it’s literally hours on public transport – my husband normally takes the day off if I need to go to London!”
Are we just becoming impatient?
Nearly seven in 10 of the adults polled said they seem to spend a lot of their time aimlessly waiting around, but a staggering 94 percent of respondents were in agreement that modern life has made us impatient and that we have come to expect things instantly.
In addition to that, 95 percent said they think it would do their health the world of good if they relaxed and let things happen when they happen.
Is camping the antidote?
Hmm.. we say we relax on holiday, but if the above is to be believed, rather than relaxing in our luxury hotels, we’ll be annoyed at the speed of service because we didn’t click our fingers and see something magically arrive!
Camping on the other hand is a great way to get back to nature, relax and enjoy the scenery. The tent takes as long as it takes to pitch… and everyone pitches in, nobody is left standing around waiting. You can enjoy a lazy but delicious campfire breakfast and summer evenings sat around a campfire wrapped in a blanket, looking up at the stars. You can take your tech with you these days (and believe me, as a digital publisher and an IT engineer, our tent is full of it!), but really, would your life change so much if you took a day off Facebook, went for a long walk in nature and recharged YOUR batteries instead of your mobile phone?
We’ll (cough) wait while you think about it!
