Hold the Elevator

Picture by Pam Roth

This might seem counter-intuitive. How could holding the elevator, which takes more time, save you time in the end? If you believe in karma, this is easy to answer, but even if you're a die-hard skeptic like me, it makes sense.

If you hold the elevator for others, they might pay back the favor someday. We take the same elevators every day. The one at work, the one in our building, maybe the one at the retirement home. Others take those same elevators too. Your paths will probably cross again at some point in the future.

If you see someone rushing toward the elevator, or even hear the door open and expect someone will enter, just hold the door. It will cost you a couple of seconds at most, but might save the other person a couple of minutes. 

When they repay the favor to you -once, twice, however many times- it will save you valuable minutes each time. 

As an added bonus, you will appear much nicer (whether you will BE nicer, is up to you) and it might even lead to some elevator small talk.

I've gotten to know quite a few of my neighbors this way. It's been a good opportunity to practice my Chinese pronunciation, and ask some questions about what's around.