Tracking Packages Is Unhealthy Obsession

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Experts say it’s common for consumers to constantly track online purchases.專家表示，消費者經(jīng)常追蹤網(wǎng)購快遞物流。

There’s a child-like joy that comes with ordering something online—whether it be clothes or kitchen gadgets.We sit refreshing the U.S.Postal Service or FedEx pages to see when our items will arrive,and we become overly excited,hopeful and anxious.

But why?

無論是買衣服還是買廚房用品，網(wǎng)購總會給人帶來一種孩童般的快樂。我們坐著刷新美國郵政服務(wù)或聯(lián)邦快遞的頁面，想看看購買的物品什么時候會到達(dá)，然后我們變得興奮不已、滿懷希望又忐忑不安。

但這是為什么呢？

2 According to Owen O’Kane,a psychotherapist and author of,even the smallest positive future events can motivate us when we’re feeling down—especially during the pandemic,which has been filled with unexpected disappointments.

2 根據(jù)《十分鐘入禪：每天十分鐘讓你更平靜、更快樂》一書的作者、心理治療師歐文·奧凱恩所說，當(dāng)我們情緒低落時，即使是未來最小的積極事件也能激勵我們——尤其是疫情期間，這期間總有令人沮喪的意外發(fā)生。

3 This is why people look forward to dinner reservations,hair appointments and yes,receiving packages.

3 這就是為什么人們期待晚餐預(yù)定、理發(fā)預(yù)約，沒錯，還有接收快遞。

4 “It’s anticipatory pleasure that something positive and good is going to happen when you get this parcel,and a lot of people realize that placing that order and waiting for it does feel good,”he says.

4 他說：“收到快遞是一種預(yù)期的快樂，即知道某件積極美好的事要發(fā)生了。很多人覺得從下單到等待快遞確實感覺很美好?！?/p>

5 But it’s not the purchase itself that elicits this happiness.Experts say there’s something about the anticipation of waiting that is exciting for those in need of change in their lives.

5 但并不是購物本身給人帶來了這種幸福感。專家表示，對那些在生活中需要變化的人來說，等待中的期盼令他們激動。

Something positive to look forward to

期待好事

6 When our package finally arrives,many of us are satisfied.But that initial excitement has probably wanedbecause our obsession with our parcel represents much more than the item we purchased.

6 當(dāng)快遞最終到手時，我們大多都很滿意。但最初的那種興奮感或許已經(jīng)退去了，因為我們對包裹寓意的癡迷遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)超過了包裹中的東西。

7 “What we’re talking about here is hope and having something to look forward to,” O’Kane explains.“Having something to look forward to can help some feel a sense of,‘OK,whatever is going on in the moment isn’t forever,’and reassures that things can improve.”

7 “我們在這里說的是希望和盼頭?！眾W凱恩解釋道，“有盼頭可以讓一些人產(chǎn)生一種感覺，那就是‘好吧，現(xiàn)在發(fā)生的任何事情，都不會一直不變’，并安慰自己事情會有好轉(zhuǎn)?！?/p>

8 For some people,the arrival of a package may also represent “an imagined positive future where you can control your needs for a book or blender or blouse,” making life feel more manageable and less monotonous.

8 對一些人來說，快遞的到來也可能意味著“一個想象中積極的未來，在那里你可以控制自己對一本書、一臺攪拌機(jī)或一件襯衫的需求”，這讓他們感覺生活更可控且不那么單調(diào)。

9 “It can be helpful to anticipate good things in the future,” says Ryan Howes,a clinical psychologist from Pasadena,California.“You had a hard week at work,but you keep yourself going because you anticipate the next ‘Ted Lasso’ episode on Friday.Or your new oven mitts.It’s a formula that has fueled many helpful clichés through the years:Tomorrow is another day.”

9 加州帕薩迪納市的臨床心理學(xué)家瑞安·豪斯說：“企盼未來的好事是有幫助的。這一周的工作很辛苦，但你一直在努力，因為你期待著周五播出的新一集《足球教練》，或者你在期待收到新的烤箱手套。明天又是新的一天——這句話就像一個可以套用的公式，多年來激發(fā)出眾多人們耳熟能詳?shù)碾u湯表達(dá)?！?/p>

10 Waiting for a parcel can also serve as a temporary distraction from the monotony of your life because it gives you something new to wake up toand get excited about,Howes adds.

10 等待包裹也可以讓生活單調(diào)的你轉(zhuǎn)移注意力，因為它會帶來某種新鮮事物讓你去認(rèn)識并為之興奮，豪斯補(bǔ)充道。

11 “You’re distracting yourself from other feelings that might not feel so pleasant,like anxiety,boredom,even dread,” he says.“When you are imagining a positive event in the future,you’re feeling only that joyful anticipation.And tracking it down to the street of the delivery truck makes it even more personal.”

11 他說：“你讓自己轉(zhuǎn)移對其他不良情緒的注意力，比如焦慮、無聊，甚至恐懼。當(dāng)想象未來的積極事件時，你只會感到愉悅的期待。追蹤到運送包裹的卡車所在街道時，你會感覺它與自己更為密切?！?/p>

12 O’Kane agrees,noting,“There’s something about the anticipation of the unknown: ‘Is it what I expected? Is it bigger or smaller than I thought?’

“It’s a curiosity that’s quite exciting for many.”

12 奧凱恩對此表示贊同，并指出：“這里有對未知的期待：它是我所期待的嗎？比我預(yù)期的要大還是要??？

“對很多人來說，這是一種令人相當(dāng)興奮的好奇心?！?/p>

Why package delays create anger

快遞延后送達(dá)為何引發(fā)憤怒

13 Anticipation isn’t always a good thing.

13 期待并不總是一件好事。

14 People went into a frenzy recently when the U.S.Postal Service announced that its mail delivery would become permanently slower.And now,many are worried about their items arriving on time,appearing broken,or simply not living up to expectations.

14 最近，當(dāng)美國郵政服務(wù)宣布其郵件遞送速度將永久放緩時，人們陷入了狂怒。現(xiàn)在，很多人擔(dān)心他們的物品能否準(zhǔn)時送達(dá)、會否出現(xiàn)破損，或者完全不符預(yù)期。

15 This phenomenon is called preparcel anxiety,and it’s more common than you might think.

15 這種現(xiàn)象被稱作包裹簽收前焦慮癥，它比你想象的要更普遍。

16 “We live in a society where we build expectations and uphold perfectionism.We want things here and now.We want efficiency and struggle with patience,”O(jiān)’Kane explains.

16 奧凱恩解釋道：“我們生活在一個我們建立期望并堅持完美主義的社會。我們此時此地就想要拿到東西。我們想要效率，難有耐心?！?/p>

17 A delayed package may seem insignificant to some.But for others,getting your hopes up only for them to be thwarted is angering and anxietyprovoking.

17 對一些人來說，延后送達(dá)的包裹似乎無關(guān)緊要。但對另一些人來說，滿懷希望卻受挫，就會引發(fā)憤怒和焦慮。

18 “We feel ripped off,sometimes on a personal level.We all want fair transactions,and when we do our part and the other party drops the ball,anger is often the result,” Howes says,comparing it to “broken,ignored or forgotten”promises.

18 “有時我們覺得自己被騙了。我們都希望公平交易，而當(dāng)我們盡了自己的一份力，另一方卻處理失當(dāng)時，結(jié)果往往讓人憤怒?！焙浪拐f道，并將此比作“被違背、忽視或遺忘”的承諾。

19 “Some even throw the slighton the pile of past broken deals and say ‘this always happens to me!’—which only makes it sting more.”

19 “有些人甚至對這種輕忽怠慢見怪不怪，吐槽說‘我老這么倒霉!’——這只會讓人更難受。”

20 However,O’Kane says these reactions are telling about more deep-rooted internal issues in our lives that go beyond a delayed package.

20 不過，奧凱恩說，這些反應(yīng)說明了我們生活中更加根深蒂固的內(nèi)在問題，而不只是延后送達(dá)包裹的問題。

21 “Anxiety is intolerance to uncertainty,and a lot of people struggle with not knowing or not having control.So it’s really symbolic about something bigger,about that need to control and needing everything to be perfect.”

21 “焦慮源于對不確定性的無法容忍，很多人掙扎于未知或無法控制的事情中。這實際上意味著更大的問題——人們對掌控和完美的要求。”

Find hope in your life (somewhere else)

在生活中（別處）找到希望

22 It’s important to practice self-care and treat yourself with occasional gifts.However,experts caution that comfort shopping is only a temporary fix.

22 照顧好自己，偶爾買禮物犒勞自己，這很重要。然而，專家提醒道，安慰式購物只是一種權(quán)宜之計。

23 “It’s a distraction from bigger problems,but that’s all it is,” Howes says.“The bigger problems haven’t gone away,and the distraction hasn’t done anything to change the bigger problems.It only helped you escape them temporarily.”

23 豪斯說：“這是在分散人們對更大問題的注意力，但也僅此而已。更大的問題并沒有消失，而分散注意力也無助于改變這些問題。它只是幫你暫時逃避?！?/p>

24 O’Kane says many people often seek external solutions,such as luxury purchases or alcohol,“as a way of feeling better quickly.” However,a healthier long-term coping mechanism is to look inward and appreciate your life with“mindfulness,gratitude and savoring.”

24 奧凱恩說，很多人經(jīng)常尋求外部解決方法，比如購買奢侈品或飲酒，“作為一種快速變得更開心的方式”。然而，更健康的長期應(yīng)對機(jī)制是用“正念、感恩和品味”來審視內(nèi)心和欣賞生活。

25 It’s more about “finding contentment and peace with where you are right now,with your current stuff,without having to wait for the delivery,or the supply chain,or the good fortune,”he says.“It’s not about having what you want,but wanting what you have.”

25 這更多的是“從你現(xiàn)在所處的位置和擁有的物品中找到滿足和平靜，而不必等待投遞、供應(yīng)鏈或好運的到來?！彼f，“這不是說擁有你想要的，而是珍惜你所擁有的?！?/p>

26 So the next time you feel the impulse to order and track something online,consider why.

26 所以，下次當(dāng)你有在網(wǎng)上訂購并追蹤物流的沖動時，考慮一下這么做是為了什么。

27 “I think you’ll find that shopping for and receiving an item is stimulating on some level,but also about the most passive way to live,” Howes says.“Challenge yourself to take action in your life instead of waiting for it to arrive.” ■

27 豪斯說：“我想你會發(fā)現(xiàn)，購買和接收物品在某種程度上是一種刺激，但差不多也是最消極的生活方式。要挑戰(zhàn)自己，在生活中采取行動，而不是坐等變化的到來?！?□