UK NEWS

TIME-SAVING GADGETS HAVE MADE US IMPATIENT

Time-saving gadgets have made us impatients when things don't happen as quickly as we would like

Tuesday February 9,2010

By Natalie Chalk

Comment Speech Bubble Have your say(0)

MODERN life has given us gadgets that save time on dreary chores. But the downside is that we are much more impatient when things don’t happen as quickly as we would like.

On average, we spend six months less over a lifetime doing tasks such as laundry or washing up compared with previous generations, a poll has found.

But this has bred a “five-minute culture” where we expect things to be done in a short time.

This includes being in a traffic jam, online transactions and watching a TV programme that does not get going quickly enough.

The survey of 2,411 adults even found the mentality extends to relationships – three-quarters of women are quicker to dump a boyfriend than they were a decade ago. It also extends to being ill, with 37 per cent saying they are recovering from colds and flu quicker, and take less time off sick.

Over half – 56 per cent – say they are more impatient today than they were 10 years ago and 46 per cent say they want everything done quicker and better.

The biggest labour-saving device is the washing machine. Second is the dishwasher, followed by the laptop, the microwave and the box for digital televisions that allows programmes to be recorded without the fuss of video recorders.

The research was analysed by psychologist Dr Aric Sigman.

He said: “There are logical reasons for this ‘five minute mentality’. Our clock has traditionally worked in units of five minutes between each main number. So, when we think of time, it is not surprising that we don’t think in four or six minute units.”

Stefan Gaa, a director of Lemsip, which commissioned the research, said: “We wanted to see whether people are prepared to allow themselves ‘quality time’ to get well, to ensure they are fighting fit.