Pace of Life

Test your pace of life

Prof Richard Wiseman has recently teamed up with The British Council to examine the pace of life around the world. You can discover if you are living life in the fast lane by answering the questions below.

Answer each question by choosing the most appropriate option, and then score your responses by clicking on the button at the end of the page.

1. Do people tell you that you talk too quickly?

Often

Sometimes

Never

2. When someone takes too long to get to the point, do you feel like hurrying them along?

Often
Sometimes
Never

3. Are you the first person to finish at mealtimes?

Often

Sometimes

Never

4. When walking along a street, do you feel frustrated because you are stuck behind others?

Often

Sometimes

Never

5. Would you become irritable if you sat for an hour without doing anything?

Yes

Uncertain

6. Do you walk out of restaurants or shops if you encounter even a short queue?.

Often

Sometimes

Never

7. When you are faced with an unfamiliar problem, what do you usually do?

Address the problem immediately

Think about what to do and then take action

Sit back and let things work out for themselves

Is your score between 7 - 29?
You are living life in the slow lane. Compared to most people you take things easy and don't tend to get stressed by the hustle and bustle of modern-day living. You tend to be patient, relaxed, and easy-going. Most of the time this is good news, but sometimes can be problematic. For example, you might tend to be late for appointments and miss targets. If this is the case, consider drawing up to-do lists, being aware of deadlines (perhaps even making your own ahead of actual deadlines), and setting your watch five minutes fast.

Is your score between 30-49?
You have a medium pace of life. You will probably find that you are capable of changing the speed at which you live life on the basis of the situation in which you find yourself. If not, try adopting some of the suggestions in the paragraph above when you feel the need to slow down, and the ones in the paragraph below when you need to move into the fast lane.

Is your score between 50-70?:
You are living life in the fast lane, rushing around and trying to juggle many different activities and projects at the same time. You tend to be impatient, excessively time-conscious, and find relaxation difficult. This might help you be productive, but your relationships and health could suffer as a consequence. Try to overcome feelings of impatience by distracting yourself when stuck in queues. For example, listen to your favourite music or chat to others. Also, try spending some time in the slow lane - savour each mouthful of food or relax with friends - and discover that the world doesn't grind to a halt.

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