How in the world do you deal with the suspense?!

It's currently 10:50pm here in California, and that leaves another couple of hours until business opens in the UK.  I had to wait over the weekend to  hear whether my work visa is approved or not, and it's absolutely killing me!  It's been 10 days since we applied, and we supposedly would have the answer within 5 business days.  How do you deal with it?!  I've been going through this for months, but this is the FINAL step.  Argh!  It's not so much that I'm nervous it won't be approved, it's just that I can't really *do* anything until I have the visa.  I'm just sitting here helpless and powerless.  Is there anything I should be doing in preparation?  What did you guys do to prepare for the move while waiting to hear news?

Unfortunately (or fortunately for me) I knew that it would be approved...I work for a school that hires US citizens regularly and so it would be approved.  And I had no idea when they would put in the work permit...but I do know that things are taking a lot longer over here with said permits than you might think - so don't stress out over the time it takes.  On the good side, once you get the paperwork for your work permit & then go for your visa on the US end - that doesn't take more than 2 weeks at all. 

What did I do in the meantime?  Totally geeked out - I went on this website, did searches on all sorts of subjects, began a list of things I had to do in the States (and when) and stuff I had to do when I arrived in the UK (and how).  I researched EVERYTHING I could come up with.  And that kept me busy!

i can tell you, the sheer fear and nerves i had before I went to the NYC counselate for my visa approval was the WORST.  I HAD to have the paper work right-i was flying out the next day!!!!!

I don't know anymore!  I was so nervous!!!  The second I had it in my hand though I began to relax!!!!  It was also not as bad as I had thought it would be. 

I totally feel your pain...or nerves for that matter. I'm in the home stretch of things and will go to the NYC Consulate by the end of March (I'm applying for the Unmarried Partners Visa) to be reunited with my partner by the 2nd week of April.  Although, I'm still a bit nervous about going to the consulate, my nerves have subsided a little since my phone call to the Home Office in Croydon last week. I gave them a run down of everything I had and they said I should be fine, but we'll just have to wait and see. 
I find that when I calm down about one thing, I become paranoid about the next. My thing now is what if the NYC consulate does not think I'll have enough funds? My partner just got a new job this month after being unemployed in the UK for 2 months. The little savings that we had has been used up and my partner is just now getting back into the swing of things.  To be on the safe side, I asked my parents to be my co-sponsor and they agreed. I wasn't going to go that route at first, but I figured it is better to safe than sorry.
Aside from that, now I'm getting to the point of where I'm asking myself "what am I going to do once I arrive in the UK?" I've never lived in another country before and up until now, I never felt nervous about relocating to the UK. I love the UK, so I don't understand where these nerves are coming from all of a sudden.
In the end, I'm sure everything will fall into place and everything will be fine with both yours and my situation. I guess if we weren't nervous, then something would be seriously wrong.

I totally empathize with how you feel.  I made myself a nervous wreck prior to applying and then while I was waiting for the visa.  I kept making up little scenarios of what could and would go wrong.  It was awful. But the second I heard the visa was approved it all went away.  I don't know if it helps, but nearly everyone on this site has gone through the waiting and worrying- so at least you are in good company!    Good luck.