The elevator won’t come faster if you press the button multiple times.

Recognize what is in your control–and what isn’t.

If you’re walking, you could run. If you’re driving, you could, although not terribly recommended, get up on the sidewalk and barrel your way through to get to your destination faster. But the eventual arrest and cost will most likely outweigh the time you saved.

You shouldn’t drive on the sidewalk unless:

— You’re pregnant.
— You need a heart transplant and your own heart only has 298 beats left.
— You think you deserve to get ahead of others.

There’s a man staring down the airline check-in crew here in Siem Reap (Cambodia) as if his glare is going to speed things up. If there are other people involved in the process, one of three things will happen that will speed up (or slow down) your progress:

1. Your efforts will do nothing.
2. Your screaming and yelling and “squeaky wheel” demeanor will get attention and you’ll go first in line (but people might hate you–forever).
3. They’ll scan your boarding pass and make sure to call your row last, just to spite you.

Which “costs” you more energy? Which costs the energy of others? Which saps the life out of you and others? Which might be neutral? Which might add, even if ever so slightly, to the positive balance of someone else for a few seconds of their day?

As for the elevator button, press it once and your job is done. It’s up to you how you spend your time until the doors open.