That Little Swirling Donut

Surely the BANE of my existence--that little doughnut upon my laptop screen, outlined by a thin, navy line, with the entire Pantone spectrum of blue that infinitely races around in a clockwise suggestion that I just need to "hold my horses." Why did they include those two small black vertical bars to the sides? Why can't they just take me there and forget about entertaining me with a swirling circle?

We all possess different forms of patience--this one is not mine.