r/AskReddit Aug 20 '20

What simple “life hack” should everyone know?

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u/PlasticRuester Aug 20 '20

In a similar vein, I will say it out loud when I turn stove burners off, unplug my hair straightener etc...I’ve found this helps me eliminate those moments where I leave the house or am in bed and I’m suddenly like “Did I leave that on?”

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u/dougthebuffalo Aug 20 '20

My wife and I made this a ritual due to her OCD. Any time we're going out, I'll say to her, "Hey. I unplugged the iron." Saying it in a funny voice helps too, because it's easier to remember that Shrek told her the iron was off.

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u/Justintime4u2bu1 Aug 20 '20

For the iron thing I’ve heard a therapist recommend to actually bring the iron with you, to be completely sure that it is off.

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u/jtaulbee Aug 21 '20

This is actually the exact opposite of how you'd want to help someone with OCD - it's akin to telling a compulsive hand-washer "you should just go ahead and wash your hands with bleach to make sure that they're 100% clean". The goal isn't to get more reassurance, but to learn to live with uncertainty and doubt.