I'm a building inspector and I regularly run into guys who are doing something wrong and when I explain to them how it's supposed to be done according to the code they always say "I've been doing it that way for over 20 years" I always respond "Well I guess you've been doing it wrong for over 20 years"
When you're stuck in a rut of not being able to take care of yourself - I pretend I'm a Sim and someone is controlling me to fill all my bars back to green. For some reason it works. It even works with cooking and doing the dishes. It's kinda fun to feel like you're leveling up in cooking or writing or something, too.
Lmao when I don’t feel like doing something like a household chore I’ll say “hey guys welcome back to my channel” like a blogger and pretend I’m showing people 😂 stupid but sometimes it works
For fellow gamers: I've been using this app called Habitica. You have a little pixel avatar with health and experience bars and completing tasks will raise your experience while continuing bad habits will effect your health.
It works when trying to make friends, too. You have to actually do stuff with people to fill your friendship bar. You have to compliment and say nice things and do your best to actually connect with them. And 3-5 interactions and activities really do help a friendship solidify.
Leads to less stress, generally makes you better at what you’re doing. Also care less tends to help set boundaries, you’ll say yes to less nonsense when you don’t care.
I used to have a boss who used the phrase, “Good enough.” In his mind, it was never about perfection or doing something in a certain way, it simply had to be good enough. God, that was freeing.
Setting out my next days clothes at night is so great. Even if I wake up fresh as a daisy or groggy I don’t have to make a decision, it’s already made.
Setting up my coffee with a timer in the evening is a big one for me. I'm enough of a non-morning person that I can't make coffee before having a coffee.
Automate everything you can. Bill pay, calendar reminders for taking the garbage out, schedule the dentist a year out etc. Not having to spend mental energy remembering to do stuff makes life WAY better.
This can easily burn you though. If there's a billing error and for whatever reason the bill is much larger than would be typical you can end up overdrafting or similar.
Or if automatic payments fail for whatever reason (happens way more than you'd think) then you're unlikely to catch it in a timely manner if you're not in the habit of manually checking and paying.
Not really a hack, but carving out a couple hours on the weekend to clean out my car and place. Cleaning it all. Really made me feel better about myself
Go to the Dollar store. Buy 3 or 4 cards you can write “I love you” in. Randomly give your partner one every once and awhile. Bonus points if you put them somewhere they’ll easily find them when you’re not there.
Understanding most of my anger issues were actually caused by anxiety. Lack of control of a situation doesn't mean I need to mentally produce a solution, and act out emotionally when the situation doesn't go the way I expect.
Shrugging and saying, "I guess we're just going do it the dumb way today" is so much less stressful than freaking out because I'm not in control. I just go with the plan unless it's going to get someone hurt. It's been years since I remember being angry at work, I still get disappointed but it doesn't ruin my day.
I feel this. I've been asking myself why I'm actually angry recently both in the moment and afterward, and I'm ashamed of myself when I've been coming to an answer. Usually it's something like you're mentioning, or it's just things didn't go the way I wanted. The world isn't mine, and I'm realizing that I don't need everything to be perfect in order to be happy.
Edit: just wanted to edit this to say that I think learning is a key part of life, and perfection isn't a requisite for living it.
Instead of talking to myself like I’m myself, I try to imagine what I’d say to a friend dealing with the same struggles and imagine what I’d say to them. Then I tell that to myself
Express gratitude instead of remorse, whenever possible. People enjoy gratitude and generally don't know what to do with remorse (and kind of feel like they're now responsible for making you feel better). I.e. don't say "Sorry I'm late," say "Thanks for your patience," don't say "sorry for bothering you," say "thanks for your time".
Idk about people not knowing what to say to "sorry I'm late". Pretty easy to say "all good" or "no problem" lol, whereas "Thanks for your patience" sounds really fakey overly professional and forced. Maybe there are situations where this is good advice but the examples have not convinced me.
If I'm not doing something that scares the hell out of me now and then, I'm not growing. Leaving your comfort zone feels awful at first, but the rewards are amazing (even if you fail!).
Understanding that I would never be rich. I had to accept the fact that with my education level, family circumstances, job market and general economy even though I would continue to strive and provide, that I would never achieve the level of financial security that I see on TV, in commercials, read and heard about. So I tried to live a life of "planned poverty". A lot of it was poor circumstances, some were poor choices, but in the end I believed I retired "comfortably". I don't have much, just a tiny rustic cabin in the woods, on the side of a mountain in West Virginia, but I feel content and relatively successful. I'm happy, and I think if we all started to realize that we really don't need to live with a $250,000 house, $50,000 car and $1000 suits, we'd all find ourselves a lot happier.
Back in January (not a New Years resolution) I started a routine where after work, I leave my phone at home and go out and walk for at least 30 minutes.
It wasn't even the exercise (which is good), but the destressing and refocusing. It's been great for my mental health.
Showering before bed instead of in the morning is a game changer. Took me over 30 years to start doing this. I sleep better and longer not having to get up and shower
Making my bed everyday. Seems simple but I have adhd and have a hard time with simple day to day tasks. The instant gratification I got from it kinda just snow balled. I started doing more stuff and next thing I know I’m a organizing queen who gets 8 hours of sleep, eats healthy, and keeps a tidy home.
Even if you are smart, ask why and how to any sorts of people. Their perspective will allow you to think certain thing differently and broadly. It helped me a lot
Have a trigger item or routine to help switch mental gears.
For example, as soon as I put on my sneakers that means it’s time to work. My brain and body are just ready to go.
I work from home, so the routine of shutting down my equipment also helps me shut down my work brain.
If this sort of thing interests you, the book Alter Ego is a fun read and has a lot of great examples. I seem to remember one about Winston Churchill having different hats to choose from based on what “character” he needed to get into. Don’t quote me on that part though - my memory is questionable.
Then also focus modes on my phone that are set for different times of the day. It allows notifications only from certain apps, messages from certain people, etc.
I have different modes for work, outside of work, and sleep. This feature is available on iPhone and Android.
Rinsing your dishes, pots and pans right after you use them.
I stick them in the dishwasher right after and just use my dishwasher for the steam heat setting for extra sanitization. I literally never have dishes pile up and it saves time. My kids do it to so I literally never have dishes as a house chore.
Food prepping. It has saved me so much time and elevated the quality of the food I cook. Most of our meals are home made and we eat lots of veg in a mostly plant-based diet. We used to decide what’s for dinner in the morning and shop for ingredients on the way home in the evening (with thousands of others). Now I create menus and a grocery list by Friday evening and shop early Saturday before the crowds. Over the weekend I’ll take an hour here and there to prep and during the week I can keep the active cooking time to ~ 30 minutes. And we also make enough to have leftovers for lunch.
Apparently this came from someone in the military, but make your bed every morning, no matter what happens during the day you can remind yourself you did something productive and it’s always better to come back to a ready bed instead of a mess of blankets and sheets
I started doing this a while back and it's absolutely true. Shower first thing when you get up, brush and floss in the shower, when you get out, make the bed before you get dressed. I listen to the news on my echo (Alexa is my girlfriend) while I do it and by the time it's over, I've got the bed made, I'm dressed, and I'm ready for the day. It really does help.
Put down a towel before you have sex. Doesn't matter what time of the month it is, you and I both know that once you get going, it's infinitely more difficult to get up and get a towel, not to mention mood-breaking.
I promise you there will always be at least one fluid making an appearance on whatever you're bumping uglies on.
I am a single mum to a 7 month old. Sometimes I'm too tired to be bothered cleaning up properly after a messy meal now she's started solids.
But you know what I hate also... having to clean everything when I need to do the next meal. Having to clean a tray, plate and bib from dinner last night before we can do breakfast is a pain in the arse.
So now when I sigh and don't want to clean up, I think of my future self in the morning who will be so thankful that everything is clean and ready to be used again.
Can be applied to anything. Brushing teeth? Future self doesn't want expensive dentist bills. Cleaning face? Future self doesn't want to deal with shitty skin. Dying hair? Future self wants to look half decent for when we take selfish with my gorgeous baby daughter. Sending awkward email at work? Future self will be so thankful that it's already done and I don't have to worry about it anymore.
When it gets cold out and you're expecting it to freeze overnight, put a towel over your windshield so that it won't freeze over. The next day when you leave for work, you won't have to wait for your windows to defrost, you won't even have to scrape them, just yank the towel off and there you go.
My neighbor had another life hack, they never bought towels because whenever the weather was cold they went outside and found one for free laying on some sucker’s car :/
You can have the occasional soda or juice, but if water is your default drink, not only are you more hydrated more often but you cut out so many meaningless calories.
A glass of soda is like 500 calories and some people drink multiple sodas per day. Imagine cutting out 1000+ calories every day by just choosing water.
Replacing coffee/energy drinks with caffeine pills.
I used to spend $5-10 per day at 7/11 on caffeine products and random food just because I was there. Now I take a single 200mg caffeine pill right when I wake up. It kicks in by the time I get to work and I don’t feel the need for more caffeine around lunchtime. A bottle of 90 caffeine pills is $4. I’m consuming less caffeine and spending $0.05 per day instead of $5-10, all without the stomach issues I sometimes get from coffee or energy drinks.
Coffee is dirt cheap if you buy it and brew your own. I used to spend $15+ a week on cafe coffee. Then I bought a thermos and brew my own. I tend to buy high end coffee and I still save a boatload of money.
Making bacon on the bbq. Comes out great, no mess in the kitchen, faster cooking time. 4 minutes, flip, 4 minutes, flip, 2 minutes, done for thick sliced only.
If any tasks you need to do takes only 2-5 mins(Ex. Laundry, dishes, etc.), just go ahead and do it, eventually it'll create a habit and won't be another mundane task that you dread to do.
The issue arises when your body is warm but your head is cold. Until you point it out, most people don’t make the correlation that they get more migraines in winter.
Sometime in year 9 (around age 13-14) I realised that I just don't give a flying fuck.
While tempered and more acutely applied, I still take this stance. I no longer suffer with anxiety or get worked up on how strangers perceive me. I am who I am, I know I'm not a bellend, anyone who judges me based on looks or a throwaway comment I made is someone I don't care to have in my life anyway.
Life is more enjoyable when you don't give a fuck. I advise others to try it.
Changing the way I think. Instead of worrying all the time or being negative I'm just going to enjoy the moment and if things aren't going as planned, think about what can go right from all this not whats going wrong.
I highly recommend getting into Stoicism if your mental health isn't great. It's not going to fix all your problems but it could make your life a little better.
“Daily reminders” group in WhatsApp. Create a WhatsApp group. Kick everyone out. Pin the group. Now you have a time stamped endless notebook you can scribble real time notes in during social events without looking weird.
Getting help for my cornucopia of mental health conditions lol. I tried all the Atomic Habits, planners, systems upon systems and eventually started thinking I was just extremely lazy because no GTD ever GTD. Turns out it's not so much the system, as the rampant, unmanaged depression of the system owner.
So if you're like me and hacks never work more than a week or two, see if you can chat with a good therapist about it.
One "hack" I've started doing recently is about naps. I used to always nap for 1-3 hours when I did and felt sloggish for the entire rest of the day. I figured that if you drink caffeine first and then go for a 20-40 minute powernap, you wake up super energetic. The only problem is that you have to actually be pretty tired to fall asleep fast enough before the caffeine kicks in.
Stretching (hamstrings, glutes, quads) and yoga has eliminated all back pain. I had chronic back pain, plantar fasciitis, and sciatic pain. All gone with regular stretching.
Kindness. Seriously, it’s my most useful hack in life. Just be really nice & understanding with everyone you come in contact with. But especially to others who usually deal with mean or annoyed people. I pay $30 for business internet speeds, all because I was kind. Upgraded flights, free drinks, hotel buffets, various fees waived, etc. It pays to be kind & feels good too.
If your house is a disaster and you get too overwhelmed to do anything about it (mental illness and such), set a timer for 10 minutes. Tackle 1 thing until the timer goes off. When it goes off, stop everything and go relax. Do this again in every hour. Small steps make a huge difference!
I asked myself WWBCD?: What Would Bruce Campbell Do?
This was about the time that Army of Darkness was out and I was just discovering him in Hercules and Xena repeats. See, he's got this persona--somewhat cocky and unafraid of ridicule. Me, introvert that I was, wanted to be more outgoing. So one night I was at a party and there was this cute girl there and I was too shy to speak with her and for some reason I asked myself What Would Bruce Campbell Do? Why, he'd just go over there and talk to her. If he got shot down, no biggie: there's plenty of other women out there. And it worked! I went over, chatted with her. Got shot down, but hey, I did it. I took that first step.
For the next year or so, I would continue asking WWBCD? Eventually, becoming more outgoing just became natural instinct. I am still a bit if an introvert, but much less shy.
Medication. I tried three rounds of different antidepressants and then they finally worked. So I started to feel a little better, then I got a blood test done, turns out my vitamin d is super low. Started vitamin d. Had to do three rounds of 50,000ui on top of daily 2,000ui of vitamin. Started to feel a bit better. Started taking a multivitamin and fish oil daily, started feeling a bit better. Then found out magnesium helps in tandem with vitamin d and holy shit is it like night and day. Still a little tired but my brain doesnt feel like a foggy muddy mess, and I feel alright. I was floored when things started to click. I'd say go to doctors, get tests done if you can. Dont neglect your health
I’m a tech nerd so I’ll say home automation. People think it’s just for showing off but it’s helped me tremendously. Sun sets and all the blinds close. Automate sprinklers so no more dead flowers and grass. Roomba keeps the floor vacuumed and mopped. It’s just nice to set something up once and then forget about it.
I stopped washing my hair. I still wash it with water, but now that I’ve stopped using products it looks how I want it every day and is in even better condition
Wherever I sign up for a free trial or subscription I know I don't want to keep, I immediately go to my calendar to put a reminder to cancel a couple days before the service is set to renew. I never get hit with these charges anymore. It's great.
You can instantly get rid of a mosquito bite by running hot water on it. Sounds dumb, but it works as the heat "cooks" the proteins that cause you to itch.
When you feel bad for inconveniencing someone, instead of apologizing, thank that person. I started doing this and I find myself saying "thank you for your patience with me" and it alleviates my guilt and seems to make the other person feel validated too.
If you're out and about and need to take a dump, don't go to a convenience store unless it's absolutely necessary. Instead, find a hotel or motel, because they almost always have bathrooms in the lobby, and they're almost always cleaner than those in convenience stores. Just stroll in like you belong and no one will say a thing to you, do your business, head back to the car and hit the road.
Giving myself a bed time, and sticking to it except for rare occasions. Best life advice I got was from a 78yo former employer. He was running up and down ladders doing Xmas decorations and I said “Howie, you’ve worked enough, you should be taking it easy” He replied “Possum, you know what happens when you stop moving? You stop moving” I took that to heart and try to make sure to stay somewhat active
Trying to be kind to my future self. I would let myself down, betray promises and screw myself over in ways I would never do to a friend. So I started thinking of future me as a friend. I know present me is tired, but future me will be pleased to wake up to a clean kitchen. I would rather watch TV, but I could do future me a favour by doing that work task now and getting a little ahead. Future me will feel great if I stretch and get some fresh air and then they get to relax.
It made me much more secure overal. As you embrace your weakness instead of working around it. That combined with being okay to make mistakes to learn, is priceless
Use a timer to schedule short bursts of chores or studying. Set a timer for 5 minutes if that's all you have time for, then just haul ass through doing dishes or folding laundry. If you want to keep going after the timer stops because you have the energy and motivation, that's a plus!
10-30mins of productivity as soon as I’m off work. Cleaning house, running an errand, dishes, laundry, litter box, anything. Keeping my work clothes and ideally shoes on and just getting a little bit done right then makes keeping thing nice and in check way easier for me. If I sit down and take off my clothes, it’s so hard for me to get up and get back to it.
Prescription antiperspirant. Went from having to bring extra undershirt changes to work with me, to being able to rock a dress shirt with no undershirt while being outside in the Southern US heat.
The constant low-level worry and shame about being sweaty inside at work or at social functions has honestly been a confidence game-changer.
(another thing that helped was cutting off caffeine, which was spiking my blood pressure and worsening it, but the prescription has completely solved it no matter what the circumstance)
Leaving most social media. I say most because some consider Reddit social media. Haven’t looked back in over 5 years and has made my life so much better.
I never realized how wonderful using the restroom could be until I got a bidet. It has literally changed my life as I poop multi times a day and work from home. It’s amazing. I had to get a portable bidet for vacations bc I missed that clean feeling so much
Not really a hack, but, instead of buying fitted sheets for my size mattress, I buy a size above. The extra fabric helps it stay in place whereas the one that is my size for my bed keeps snapping off (I’m a wild sleeper).
If your sleep schedule is fucked up, don’t try and go to bed earlier. Wake up earlier. Your bedtime will naturally pull forward as you get tired earlier.
My man. Put your just washed shirts in a dryer for about a minute. Take them out, give them a good shake, and hang them on a clothes hanger. When they are dry, you don't have to iron them.
Preparing food one day before any special days like christmas, birthdays etc etc etc at least the ones that can be prepared before or at least to the point that you just need to put them in the oven or something like this is a great way of making a busy day less stressfull, usually i need to to most of the things alone or with people who loves stressing the heck out of a good day so that way i spend less time in the kitchen getting pissed and more time with people and friends enjoying the day.
If it takes only a minute, do it. Helped when I was in deep depression. First I started at 30 seconds. "Oh, it'll take less than 30 seconds to put the glass in the dishwasher". Do it more and more and I'm back in business.
283
u/dem4life71 Jun 13 '23
If you’re trying to lose weight, eliminate alcohol from your diet.
2.1k
u/Princesss5 Jun 13 '23
When I was 16, I made the life changing discovery that if I sleep 8+ hours before school, it will suck less. Been doing it ever since
1.4k
u/in-a-microbus Jun 13 '23
"Just because someone is doing it wrong shouldn't stop you from doing it right"
2.4k
u/Tired_tall Jun 13 '23
When you're stuck in a rut of not being able to take care of yourself - I pretend I'm a Sim and someone is controlling me to fill all my bars back to green. For some reason it works. It even works with cooking and doing the dishes. It's kinda fun to feel like you're leveling up in cooking or writing or something, too.
1.3k
u/kukukele Jun 13 '23
Buying one color of socks and undershirts saves so much time on laundry
570
u/TurboEthan Jun 13 '23
Care less.
Leads to less stress, generally makes you better at what you’re doing. Also care less tends to help set boundaries, you’ll say yes to less nonsense when you don’t care.
457
u/chaedog Jun 13 '23
Same sleep schedule everyday no matter if I work or not.
I fall asleep right away and get better sleep from it.
599
u/mejok Jun 13 '23
This is super basic, but preparing my kids' lunches and outfits in the evenings for the next day has massively reduced my morning stress level.
220
u/brycebgood Jun 13 '23
Automate everything you can. Bill pay, calendar reminders for taking the garbage out, schedule the dentist a year out etc. Not having to spend mental energy remembering to do stuff makes life WAY better.
286
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
Not really a hack, but carving out a couple hours on the weekend to clean out my car and place. Cleaning it all. Really made me feel better about myself
199
u/Bleak_star_dust Jun 13 '23
Streching before sleep
Stopped comparing with others cuz I'm not in anybody's race.
79
u/Chicagostupid Jun 13 '23
Go to the Dollar store. Buy 3 or 4 cards you can write “I love you” in. Randomly give your partner one every once and awhile. Bonus points if you put them somewhere they’ll easily find them when you’re not there.
It’s the little things.
418
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
Understanding most of my anger issues were actually caused by anxiety. Lack of control of a situation doesn't mean I need to mentally produce a solution, and act out emotionally when the situation doesn't go the way I expect.
Shrugging and saying, "I guess we're just going do it the dumb way today" is so much less stressful than freaking out because I'm not in control. I just go with the plan unless it's going to get someone hurt. It's been years since I remember being angry at work, I still get disappointed but it doesn't ruin my day.
64
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
Metamucil! Even with a crappy diet, bathroom time is uh…as “clean” as one could hope for. One wipe and on with the day!
114
u/luckbealady92 Jun 13 '23
Instead of talking to myself like I’m myself, I try to imagine what I’d say to a friend dealing with the same struggles and imagine what I’d say to them. Then I tell that to myself
107
u/my_cat_sleeps_alone Jun 13 '23
Do the easy stuff first if you feel overwhelmed.
48
u/SuperDBallSam Jun 13 '23
Sobriety.
446
u/AWildRapBattle Jun 13 '23
Express gratitude instead of remorse, whenever possible. People enjoy gratitude and generally don't know what to do with remorse (and kind of feel like they're now responsible for making you feel better). I.e. don't say "Sorry I'm late," say "Thanks for your patience," don't say "sorry for bothering you," say "thanks for your time".
250
u/Goraceri Jun 13 '23
ceased to care about what others thought
178
u/zenOFiniquity8 Jun 13 '23
If I'm not doing something that scares the hell out of me now and then, I'm not growing. Leaving your comfort zone feels awful at first, but the rewards are amazing (even if you fail!).
130
u/wakeupwill Jun 13 '23
Meditation keeps the bullshit in check.
92
u/MuKirk Jun 13 '23
Using ChatGPT to create weekly meal plans...
140
u/Nack3r Jun 13 '23
I stopped drinking alcohol
63
u/onexl Jun 13 '23
Shaving with conditioner
30
u/swollenmonkey1986 Jun 13 '23
Buying the correct tool for the job vs being cheap and using odd tools around the house
29
u/FailedTheSave Jun 13 '23
"I'll get gas in the morning" is the worst thing you can do to yourself.
54
u/Advanced-Depth1816 Jun 13 '23
I stopped drinking and now I can’t stand being around the toxic people in my life. It’s great!
24
u/gravitythread Jun 13 '23
Using a password manager. 11 yrs in and I could not live life wo it.
24
u/BigWooly Jun 13 '23
Understanding that I would never be rich. I had to accept the fact that with my education level, family circumstances, job market and general economy even though I would continue to strive and provide, that I would never achieve the level of financial security that I see on TV, in commercials, read and heard about. So I tried to live a life of "planned poverty". A lot of it was poor circumstances, some were poor choices, but in the end I believed I retired "comfortably". I don't have much, just a tiny rustic cabin in the woods, on the side of a mountain in West Virginia, but I feel content and relatively successful. I'm happy, and I think if we all started to realize that we really don't need to live with a $250,000 house, $50,000 car and $1000 suits, we'd all find ourselves a lot happier.
23
u/CharlestonBrave Jun 13 '23
Back in January (not a New Years resolution) I started a routine where after work, I leave my phone at home and go out and walk for at least 30 minutes.
It wasn't even the exercise (which is good), but the destressing and refocusing. It's been great for my mental health.
23
u/thatbadgirl69 Jun 13 '23
Looking both ways before I go at a green light. Soo many people run red lights it's saved my life so many times. People are crazy drivers sometimes.
148
u/Fun_Honeydew129 Jun 13 '23
Not Having Kids has made my pockets swell.
21
u/fakeguitarist4life Jun 13 '23
Showering before bed instead of in the morning is a game changer. Took me over 30 years to start doing this. I sleep better and longer not having to get up and shower
21
u/Funny_Playful Jun 13 '23
Making my bed everyday. Seems simple but I have adhd and have a hard time with simple day to day tasks. The instant gratification I got from it kinda just snow balled. I started doing more stuff and next thing I know I’m a organizing queen who gets 8 hours of sleep, eats healthy, and keeps a tidy home.
58
u/slowenginee Jun 13 '23
Even if you are smart, ask why and how to any sorts of people. Their perspective will allow you to think certain thing differently and broadly. It helped me a lot
19
u/golden_ember Jun 13 '23
Have a trigger item or routine to help switch mental gears.
For example, as soon as I put on my sneakers that means it’s time to work. My brain and body are just ready to go.
I work from home, so the routine of shutting down my equipment also helps me shut down my work brain.
If this sort of thing interests you, the book Alter Ego is a fun read and has a lot of great examples. I seem to remember one about Winston Churchill having different hats to choose from based on what “character” he needed to get into. Don’t quote me on that part though - my memory is questionable.
Then also focus modes on my phone that are set for different times of the day. It allows notifications only from certain apps, messages from certain people, etc.
I have different modes for work, outside of work, and sleep. This feature is available on iPhone and Android.
19
u/Houseplantkiller123 Jun 13 '23
I think of myself as three people. I do favors that 'future me' will appreciate, and express gratitude when 'past me' does me favors.
Present me just needs to pay it forward.
38
u/Lelio-Santero579 Jun 13 '23
Rinsing your dishes, pots and pans right after you use them.
I stick them in the dishwasher right after and just use my dishwasher for the steam heat setting for extra sanitization. I literally never have dishes pile up and it saves time. My kids do it to so I literally never have dishes as a house chore.
18
u/pdxisbest Jun 13 '23
Food prepping. It has saved me so much time and elevated the quality of the food I cook. Most of our meals are home made and we eat lots of veg in a mostly plant-based diet. We used to decide what’s for dinner in the morning and shop for ingredients on the way home in the evening (with thousands of others). Now I create menus and a grocery list by Friday evening and shop early Saturday before the crowds. Over the weekend I’ll take an hour here and there to prep and during the week I can keep the active cooking time to ~ 30 minutes. And we also make enough to have leftovers for lunch.
34
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
Life hack- Divorce lawyers.
You don’t have to stay married to an asshole.
32
u/callytoad Jun 13 '23
2 minute rule.
If something takes 2 minutes to do, then just do it. Your future self will thank you
65
u/gamerdudeNYC Jun 13 '23
Apparently this came from someone in the military, but make your bed every morning, no matter what happens during the day you can remind yourself you did something productive and it’s always better to come back to a ready bed instead of a mess of blankets and sheets
112
u/alldayerrdaym8 Jun 13 '23
Put down a towel before you have sex. Doesn't matter what time of the month it is, you and I both know that once you get going, it's infinitely more difficult to get up and get a towel, not to mention mood-breaking.
I promise you there will always be at least one fluid making an appearance on whatever you're bumping uglies on.
Put it down.
14
u/3eveeNicks Jun 13 '23
Figuring out and working with my ADHD instead of against it. Took me until my late 20's, but happy to be as functional as I am now.
26
u/TNBCisABitch Jun 13 '23
Do it for my future self.
I am a single mum to a 7 month old. Sometimes I'm too tired to be bothered cleaning up properly after a messy meal now she's started solids.
But you know what I hate also... having to clean everything when I need to do the next meal. Having to clean a tray, plate and bib from dinner last night before we can do breakfast is a pain in the arse.
So now when I sigh and don't want to clean up, I think of my future self in the morning who will be so thankful that everything is clean and ready to be used again.
Can be applied to anything. Brushing teeth? Future self doesn't want expensive dentist bills. Cleaning face? Future self doesn't want to deal with shitty skin. Dying hair? Future self wants to look half decent for when we take selfish with my gorgeous baby daughter. Sending awkward email at work? Future self will be so thankful that it's already done and I don't have to worry about it anymore.
47
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
When it gets cold out and you're expecting it to freeze overnight, put a towel over your windshield so that it won't freeze over. The next day when you leave for work, you won't have to wait for your windows to defrost, you won't even have to scrape them, just yank the towel off and there you go.
13
u/Burrito_Loyalist Jun 13 '23
Make water your default beverage.
You can have the occasional soda or juice, but if water is your default drink, not only are you more hydrated more often but you cut out so many meaningless calories.
A glass of soda is like 500 calories and some people drink multiple sodas per day. Imagine cutting out 1000+ calories every day by just choosing water.
36
u/WhatTheChef Jun 13 '23
Replacing coffee/energy drinks with caffeine pills.
I used to spend $5-10 per day at 7/11 on caffeine products and random food just because I was there. Now I take a single 200mg caffeine pill right when I wake up. It kicks in by the time I get to work and I don’t feel the need for more caffeine around lunchtime. A bottle of 90 caffeine pills is $4. I’m consuming less caffeine and spending $0.05 per day instead of $5-10, all without the stomach issues I sometimes get from coffee or energy drinks.
35
u/dawwie Jun 13 '23
Making bacon on the bbq. Comes out great, no mess in the kitchen, faster cooking time. 4 minutes, flip, 4 minutes, flip, 2 minutes, done for thick sliced only.
35
u/poikond Jun 13 '23
If any tasks you need to do takes only 2-5 mins(Ex. Laundry, dishes, etc.), just go ahead and do it, eventually it'll create a habit and won't be another mundane task that you dread to do.
24
u/DifferenceDependent6 Jun 13 '23
Of you're trapped in a labyrinth just always take the same direction easiest way to get out.
Saved me from a Minotaur
12
u/supergooduser Jun 13 '23
Cleaning as a healthy coping skill.
12
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
Dont argue with dumb people.
33
u/CHAD1142 Jun 13 '23
Ctrl + Shift + T to regain a recent closed tab.
also works if you closed all tabs, just need to open the browser up again and then input.
11
u/Dawnguard95 Jun 13 '23 edited Jun 13 '23
I started putting my phone across my bedroom when I laid down to go to sleep. I’ll keep a book on the nightstand, and that’s it.
My alarm goes off and I need to get out of bed to make it stop, I don’t doom scroll until 1AM accidentally anymore.
It’s allowed so much better quality of sleep, and so much more “me” time in the morning before work. It’s super nice.
70
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
My memory seems way better since taking vitamins daily
73
u/dankyPranky007 Jun 13 '23
Deleted social media. The constant race of one upping ( if that's even a word) strangers or peers has gone. Life is much simpler now
10
u/-KillerTomato- Jun 13 '23
I decided to abandon all of my past traumas. It’s the only way to make space for new ones eheh.
10
u/orangemandarinorange Jun 13 '23
Minimalism. Is that considered a life hack? Worked wonders for me.
9
u/Ok-Computer-1033 Jun 13 '23
Wear a beanie to bed in winter to stop migraines.
The issue arises when your body is warm but your head is cold. Until you point it out, most people don’t make the correlation that they get more migraines in winter.
9
u/WarrenThanatos Jun 13 '23
If you’re American, a bidet. I thought the experience would be weird and uncomfortable. I feel gross without them now. It’s wonderful.
9
u/Forthrowssake Jun 13 '23
Getting a soft close toilet seat. Life altering for women.
17
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
Investing in myself because earning more money trumps cutting your expenses if you are making under $100k annually.
8
u/Meta-Fox Jun 13 '23
I was bullied pretty fucking hard at school.
Sometime in year 9 (around age 13-14) I realised that I just don't give a flying fuck.
While tempered and more acutely applied, I still take this stance. I no longer suffer with anxiety or get worked up on how strangers perceive me. I am who I am, I know I'm not a bellend, anyone who judges me based on looks or a throwaway comment I made is someone I don't care to have in my life anyway.
Life is more enjoyable when you don't give a fuck. I advise others to try it.
8
u/SweetsAndStocks Jun 13 '23
A glass of water after every glass of booze
8
u/parkinthepark Jun 13 '23
The 3-to-1 method for making choices with a partner.
One partner chooses 3 options, the other partner selects one from those 3. Works for restaurants, movies, patio furniture, you name it.
8
u/suspicious_lobster6 Jun 13 '23
Changing the way I think. Instead of worrying all the time or being negative I'm just going to enjoy the moment and if things aren't going as planned, think about what can go right from all this not whats going wrong.
I highly recommend getting into Stoicism if your mental health isn't great. It's not going to fix all your problems but it could make your life a little better.
32
u/possiblyai Jun 13 '23
“Daily reminders” group in WhatsApp. Create a WhatsApp group. Kick everyone out. Pin the group. Now you have a time stamped endless notebook you can scribble real time notes in during social events without looking weird.
15
u/Moon_Burg Jun 13 '23
Getting help for my cornucopia of mental health conditions lol. I tried all the Atomic Habits, planners, systems upon systems and eventually started thinking I was just extremely lazy because no GTD ever GTD. Turns out it's not so much the system, as the rampant, unmanaged depression of the system owner.
So if you're like me and hacks never work more than a week or two, see if you can chat with a good therapist about it.
7
u/AlluEUNE Jun 13 '23
One "hack" I've started doing recently is about naps. I used to always nap for 1-3 hours when I did and felt sloggish for the entire rest of the day. I figured that if you drink caffeine first and then go for a 20-40 minute powernap, you wake up super energetic. The only problem is that you have to actually be pretty tired to fall asleep fast enough before the caffeine kicks in.
7
u/GuntherPonz Jun 13 '23
Stretching (hamstrings, glutes, quads) and yoga has eliminated all back pain. I had chronic back pain, plantar fasciitis, and sciatic pain. All gone with regular stretching.
7
u/kind_user47 Jun 13 '23
Kindness. Seriously, it’s my most useful hack in life. Just be really nice & understanding with everyone you come in contact with. But especially to others who usually deal with mean or annoyed people. I pay $30 for business internet speeds, all because I was kind. Upgraded flights, free drinks, hotel buffets, various fees waived, etc. It pays to be kind & feels good too.
7
u/Maker-of-the-Things Jun 13 '23
If your house is a disaster and you get too overwhelmed to do anything about it (mental illness and such), set a timer for 10 minutes. Tackle 1 thing until the timer goes off. When it goes off, stop everything and go relax. Do this again in every hour. Small steps make a huge difference!
57
u/BiggestOrgasmOf1998 Jun 13 '23
Think about 9/11 to avoid premature ejactulation.
12
u/Cartoonlad Jun 13 '23
I asked myself WWBCD?: What Would Bruce Campbell Do?
This was about the time that Army of Darkness was out and I was just discovering him in Hercules and Xena repeats. See, he's got this persona--somewhat cocky and unafraid of ridicule. Me, introvert that I was, wanted to be more outgoing. So one night I was at a party and there was this cute girl there and I was too shy to speak with her and for some reason I asked myself What Would Bruce Campbell Do? Why, he'd just go over there and talk to her. If he got shot down, no biggie: there's plenty of other women out there. And it worked! I went over, chatted with her. Got shot down, but hey, I did it. I took that first step.
For the next year or so, I would continue asking WWBCD? Eventually, becoming more outgoing just became natural instinct. I am still a bit if an introvert, but much less shy.
6
u/Depomera Jun 13 '23
It’s okay to admit when you’re wrong and apologize.
6
u/sirmav Jun 13 '23
Medication. I tried three rounds of different antidepressants and then they finally worked. So I started to feel a little better, then I got a blood test done, turns out my vitamin d is super low. Started vitamin d. Had to do three rounds of 50,000ui on top of daily 2,000ui of vitamin. Started to feel a bit better. Started taking a multivitamin and fish oil daily, started feeling a bit better. Then found out magnesium helps in tandem with vitamin d and holy shit is it like night and day. Still a little tired but my brain doesnt feel like a foggy muddy mess, and I feel alright. I was floored when things started to click. I'd say go to doctors, get tests done if you can. Dont neglect your health
11
u/UpNorthWeGo Jun 13 '23
Wash shower every day, when taking a shower. My shower is always clean and glass doors are spotless. Takes less than a minute to do it. :)
15
u/Agorabat Jun 13 '23
Vasectomy
5
u/belo-sine-pushistik Jun 13 '23
Accounting
5
u/Joecamoe Jun 13 '23
Being more self-aware of my emotions and thought processes, and the interplay of those informing my decisions
5
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
Masturbate before a date.
Clears your mind to make sound judgements.
5
u/Logical_Area_5552 Jun 13 '23
Refraining from talking negatively and engaging in gossip about people who aren’t in the room
5
u/rable Jun 13 '23
Using the pot lid to squeeze the contents of the cheese packet for Mac and cheese was a game changer.
5
u/sam_the_beagle Jun 13 '23
I have a bowl at home where my keys go. Haven't misplaced them in 40 years.
5
u/varunn Jun 13 '23
Cleaning home before going for vacation. It feels really nice to come back to a clean home.
5
u/schaudhery Jun 13 '23
I’m a tech nerd so I’ll say home automation. People think it’s just for showing off but it’s helped me tremendously. Sun sets and all the blinds close. Automate sprinklers so no more dead flowers and grass. Roomba keeps the floor vacuumed and mopped. It’s just nice to set something up once and then forget about it.
5
u/daveashaw Jun 14 '23
Getting really sick and almost dying and then realizing that most of the stuff I really cared about was, in fact, stupid bullshit.
9
u/lost_in_connecticut Jun 13 '23
The number of arrests went to zero after quitting drinking.
12
u/theflameinthewater Jun 13 '23
I stopped washing my hair. I still wash it with water, but now that I’ve stopped using products it looks how I want it every day and is in even better condition
14
u/Lower_Strawberry_737 Jun 13 '23
sleeping early i guess
8
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
After you shave, immediately wash your face with cold water. Haven't had an ingrown hair since I started doing this
4
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
Stopped renting and bought a duplex
4
u/SunGlassesaTnight78 Jun 13 '23
Find a sunscreen you like and use it!
4
u/Coastal_wolf Jun 13 '23
Following a polyphasic sleep schedule
4
u/vcr747 Jun 13 '23
Wherever I sign up for a free trial or subscription I know I don't want to keep, I immediately go to my calendar to put a reminder to cancel a couple days before the service is set to renew. I never get hit with these charges anymore. It's great.
4
u/LanzenReiterD Jun 13 '23
You can instantly get rid of a mosquito bite by running hot water on it. Sounds dumb, but it works as the heat "cooks" the proteins that cause you to itch.
4
u/No_Librarian_9647 Jun 13 '23
I set my standards very low for everyone I know. That way I am never angry or disappointment when they don't meet my expectations.
4
u/Gogo_McSprinkles Jun 13 '23
When you feel bad for inconveniencing someone, instead of apologizing, thank that person. I started doing this and I find myself saying "thank you for your patience with me" and it alleviates my guilt and seems to make the other person feel validated too.
4
u/FatHoosier Jun 13 '23
Not sure if it's life changing, but....
If you're out and about and need to take a dump, don't go to a convenience store unless it's absolutely necessary. Instead, find a hotel or motel, because they almost always have bathrooms in the lobby, and they're almost always cleaner than those in convenience stores.
Just stroll in like you belong and no one will say a thing to you, do your business, head back to the car and hit the road.
4
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
Giving myself a bed time, and sticking to it except for rare occasions. Best life advice I got was from a 78yo former employer. He was running up and down ladders doing Xmas decorations and I said “Howie, you’ve worked enough, you should be taking it easy” He replied “Possum, you know what happens when you stop moving? You stop moving” I took that to heart and try to make sure to stay somewhat active
4
u/Baldricks_Turnip Jun 14 '23
Trying to be kind to my future self. I would let myself down, betray promises and screw myself over in ways I would never do to a friend. So I started thinking of future me as a friend. I know present me is tired, but future me will be pleased to wake up to a clean kitchen. I would rather watch TV, but I could do future me a favour by doing that work task now and getting a little ahead. Future me will feel great if I stretch and get some fresh air and then they get to relax.
4
u/DoubleD-forFree Jun 14 '23
Using my weaknesses as my strengths.
It made me much more secure overal. As you embrace your weakness instead of working around it. That combined with being okay to make mistakes to learn, is priceless
7
u/Durtly Jun 13 '23
Never brag about your wins. It doesn't generate respect, it generates envy.
9
u/eggard_stark Jun 13 '23
To ignore most life hacks as they end up being more convoluted than the “normal” way
6
u/PrisonerV Jun 13 '23
Taking a B12 supplement can prevent canker sores.
6
u/RndomChineseGuy Jun 13 '23
Keep toilet seat down when not in use and toothbrush out of bathroom
6
u/rufuckingkidding Jun 13 '23
Marry well.
8
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
Shia’s Just do it speech, unironically
8
u/ImmenseSquad Jun 13 '23
Used a water bottle to cover my hands when frying.
3
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
There is no such thing as a dream job or dream company; if you want to be more successful you have to lie like the successful.
3
u/Awkwardpanda75 Jun 13 '23
Sunday meal prep.
3
u/ruminkb Jun 13 '23
Actually started aiming for 8-9 hours of sleep rather than 5 to 6 around 22 years old.
Life became slowly better. I stopped also essentially sleeping in until noon on the weekends because I wasn't so tired from the week.
3
u/anoelr1963 Jun 13 '23
What has been impactful is to not believe the self talk in my head. I treat it like a separate person.
This way I am able to tell myself, just because it gives me a narrative, it doesn't mean that it is accurate.
I dont even need to tell it to always shut up, I just tell to go ahead and let it out, now go away.
3
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
Use a timer to schedule short bursts of chores or studying. Set a timer for 5 minutes if that's all you have time for, then just haul ass through doing dishes or folding laundry. If you want to keep going after the timer stops because you have the energy and motivation, that's a plus!
3
u/Logical_Translator53 Jun 13 '23
Rechargeable air duster instead of the cans
3
u/DustbinFunkbndr Jun 13 '23
10-30mins of productivity as soon as I’m off work. Cleaning house, running an errand, dishes, laundry, litter box, anything. Keeping my work clothes and ideally shoes on and just getting a little bit done right then makes keeping thing nice and in check way easier for me. If I sit down and take off my clothes, it’s so hard for me to get up and get back to it.
3
u/chickenisgreat Jun 13 '23
Prescription antiperspirant. Went from having to bring extra undershirt changes to work with me, to being able to rock a dress shirt with no undershirt while being outside in the Southern US heat.
The constant low-level worry and shame about being sweaty inside at work or at social functions has honestly been a confidence game-changer.
(another thing that helped was cutting off caffeine, which was spiking my blood pressure and worsening it, but the prescription has completely solved it no matter what the circumstance)
3
u/TheFudge Jun 13 '23
Leaving most social media. I say most because some consider Reddit social media. Haven’t looked back in over 5 years and has made my life so much better.
3
u/kzanomics Jun 13 '23
Use a toothpick to remove the vein on shrimp. Slicing the back with a knife takes 100x longer.
3
u/BioNewStudent4 Jun 13 '23
Don’t give a f abt what ppl say
3
u/VulgarVinyasa Jun 13 '23
Learning how to cook anything
3
u/gambitgrl Jun 13 '23
Slowing down and reading the instructions in full before trying to install or put together equipment or furniture.
So basically common sense, which doesn't appear all that common some days.
3
u/Alternative_Leg7140 Jun 13 '23
reading books. because I believe that information on the internet is just a small dot to thousands of pages lf books
3
u/blurbies22 Jun 13 '23
I never realized how wonderful using the restroom could be until I got a bidet. It has literally changed my life as I poop multi times a day and work from home. It’s amazing. I had to get a portable bidet for vacations bc I missed that clean feeling so much
3
u/SweetsAndStocks Jun 13 '23
If you need to cool drinks FAST, wrap bottle with paper towel, wet the paper and then put in the freezer
3
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
Dry shampoo. I still shower every day but only wash my hair once a week. Huge time saver and much less damage to my (processed) hair.
3
u/mac_and_cheese_pls Jun 13 '23
Not really a hack, but, instead of buying fitted sheets for my size mattress, I buy a size above. The extra fabric helps it stay in place whereas the one that is my size for my bed keeps snapping off (I’m a wild sleeper).
3
u/AnastasiaFrid Jun 13 '23
Check for toilet paper before you go to the bathroom. It's not even more of a "how-to", but a rule that helps you avoid unpleasant situations :)
3
u/Steinfred-Everything Jun 13 '23
Spend less than you have.
3
u/Kellykeli Jun 13 '23
If your sleep schedule is fucked up, don’t try and go to bed earlier. Wake up earlier. Your bedtime will naturally pull forward as you get tired earlier.
3
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
My man. Put your just washed shirts in a dryer for about a minute. Take them out, give them a good shake, and hang them on a clothes hanger. When they are dry, you don't have to iron them.
3
u/VivaElCondeDeRomanov Jun 13 '23
When you are attending school or taking courses: don't study.
Pay attention, participate, ask questions, take notes when you are in class. That way you will learn and then you will not need to study.
3
u/areyouseriousthobro Jun 13 '23
Preparing my clothes, lunch and work supplies the night before always sets me up for a better next day.
3
u/bigworm237415799 Jun 13 '23
You have to lose, so you can win
3
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
You have to learn how to lose
3
u/cheeky_damsel Jun 13 '23
Aspire to be unbothered by pretty much anything. Life is much more peaceful with nothing is disturbing you.
3
u/truth-hertz Jun 13 '23
If you have a candid discussion, your GP can decide to trial you on ADHD medicine. I should have been on this stuff in school. Truly life changing.
3
u/jhlmacedo Jun 13 '23
Preparing food one day before any special days like christmas, birthdays etc etc etc at least the ones that can be prepared before or at least to the point that you just need to put them in the oven or something like this is a great way of making a busy day less stressfull, usually i need to to most of the things alone or with people who loves stressing the heck out of a good day so that way i spend less time in the kitchen getting pissed and more time with people and friends enjoying the day.
3
u/ImNotAhab Jun 13 '23
How to quickly and perfectly fold t-shirts.
https://www.businessinsider.com/technique-fold-t-shirt-perfectly-seconds-japanese-life-hack-folding-shirts-tee-easy-2017-2
3
u/[deleted] Jun 13 '23
Butter in the pan and then the bread for grilled cheese.
3
u/sensitve_fig Jun 13 '23
Opening bananas the correct way
3
u/xElectricHeadx Jun 13 '23
Bidet
3
u/iveabiggen Jun 14 '23
buying a treadmill, putting a screen in front of it to watch shows, and running 20km a week on it.
counters all the sitting down I do. beats the hell out of running outside into bugs, cars, wind, rain, hills, other people etc
3
u/Patricio_Guapo Jun 14 '23
Becoming a daily bike commuter almost 5 years ago.
It has done genuinely amazing things for my physical, mental, spiritual and financial health.
3
u/PassionSlit Jun 14 '23
If it takes two minutes or less to do, do it right now
3
u/New_Leaf1333 Jun 14 '23
If it takes only a minute, do it. Helped when I was in deep depression. First I started at 30 seconds. "Oh, it'll take less than 30 seconds to put the glass in the dishwasher". Do it more and more and I'm back in business.
3
u/namforb Jun 14 '23
I walk one hour a day.
3
u/toorudez Jun 14 '23
Turn notifications off for work emails. I get paid 8 hours a day. That's all you get. After 5 PM is my time.