The experience of waiting is less about the actual time spent and more about how that time is perceived. David Maister’s seminal work, , identifies several key principles that influence our frustration levels:
: Seeing someone arrive after you but get served first triggers a strong negative psychological response. Waiting as a Coping Strategy Waiting for healthcare: a concept analysis - PubMed
: Emotional states like fear or nervousness directly distort our temporal perception.
: This is why businesses provide entertainment or tasks (like menus in a lobby) to distract customers.