Background:
Many recurring obligations in modern society require significant amounts of waiting.
For example:
- Waiting in line at the DMV
- Waiting to be interviewed during the jury selection process, for jury duty
- Getting your car’s oil changed
The issue:
This time is generally not put to productive use (perhaps due to its unpredictable duration). Millions of hours or productive time are wasted every year at these locations.
Proposal: multitask by adding a second activity
The only real requirement is that the second activity needs to be interruptible with a small amount of lead time. So “learn to fold an origami crane” would work, but “practice scuba diving” or “assist a doctor in performing open-heart surgery” would not.
Possibilities:
- Jury selection PLUS speed dating
- DMV driver’s license renewal PLUS a dentist appointment
- Waiting at the airport at your plane’s gate PLUS Red Cross first aid training
There are many more possible locations where a “captive audience” can be found, such as:
- Waiting for car maintenance to be completed
- Waiting for a bus / train
- Stranded on a desert island
- Stranded on a regular island
- Waiting in line at a store
Conclusion:
By adding a second (productive) activity to the primarily waiting-related first activity, we can greatly improve citizens’ productivity.
PROS: Reduces wasted time during certain obligatory activities.
CONS: None!
WorstPlans: updated every Monday since July 2014! 