Sometimes you stumble across a life hack that is so brilliant, that you have to almost kick yourself for not figuring it out earlier. But better late than never, and the internet is a fantastic place to start.
Someone asked “Which uncomplicated yet highly efficient life hack surprises you that it isn’t more widely known?” and people shared their best secrets. So make sure you are ready to take notes, get as comfortable as you can, scroll through, and be sure to upvote your favorites. If you have some ideas of your own to share, feel free to go into details below, in the comments section.
If you’re ever learning something, whether at a work meeting or class or from a YouTube video, have a notebook where you take 30-60 seconds to jot down a summary, in your own words, RIGHT when you finish. Not detailed notes (which you can take while the class/meeting is going if you need to), but the equivalent of a TV Guide blurb summarizing what you learned.
Not only will rewording/summarizing help you retain whatever you learned, but over the years you’ll have your own personal book of knowledge to reference as a jumping off point for learning more.
While most of us are probably familiar with the idea of “hacking,” as in cutting something with, say, a machete or hatchet, the idea of a “life hack” is considerably more modern and is probably closer to the concept of a trench-coat wearing fellow in a dark room, breaking into “the mainframe.”
It was most likely coined by Danny O’Brien, who is still sometimes called the “father of lifehacks.” The idea really did catch on, as people very quickly came to appreciate the concept. Indeed, in the mid-2000s, there were entire conferences dedicated to “life hacks,” although it had a focus on technology and coding. Nevertheless, the idea has expanded and is likely here to stay.
Wipe down surfaces, clean a dish or pot or pan when something needs to simmer for a bit, wipe down your knives after use and dry them with a towel and put them back in the knife block.
I learned it from sister’s husband who is a chef.
It makes cooking so much more pleasant.
Also mise en place. Prep all your ingredients before hand and have them ready. Again, it makes cooking more fun and less arduous and the dishes turn out better.
You don’t have to answer your phone if you don’t want to. Neither calls nor messages. It can wait. Playing with your kid, taking that bath, finishing the chapter or whatever it is you don’t want to interrupt is way more important. If it’s a life-and-death matter they’ll call again. And again. And again, trust me, you won’t miss it. I have a rule with my family in fact, when I don’t answer the phone, but it’s really REALLY important, they should call immediately a second time, then I’ll know and answer. BTW, your phone has a silent mode too.
You don’t have to get married. You don’t have to have kids. It’s a choice, and it’s your choice.
Too many people get pressured to conform and do what others do without questioning the rationale.
This is really stupid, but put your socks on BEFORE your pants not only is it easier to put the socks on without your pants being in the way, but your foot slides through the pant legs much easier.
The origin of the word “prestige” is “illusion.” Don’t waste excess time, energy, or money trying to impress other people. Focus on developing genuine strengths instead.
If you have adhd, create a folder on your phone called Safe Places. When you put an item in a “Safe Place” so you wont lose it or so you can remember where it is for later, take a picture of it in its safe place and put it in that folder. Good luck remembering to do any of this.
Paint the back of the switch plate when you are painting a room, that way you have an easy to carry, protected from fading swatch to color match later, if you need to.
We look at each other’s eyes when trying to avoid bumping into each other and maintaining your gaze on the spot you’re headed allows people to subconsciously see how to avoid you and will adjust their path accordingly. You won’t have any more of those awkward encounters where you’re looking at another person and you both keep trying to turn the same direction.
I read this trick on here years ago and use it all the time in stores, the mall, etc, and it really does work. Maybe it’s because I look like a psychopath and people are trying to avoid me altogether, but either way it works.
This keeps screws from a single item in one place, easily visible, and easily referenced for future use (instead of sitting in a large pile of similar, nondescript hardware).
Just aim to be average at something or most things that you want to try/do. You’ll get better at everything you do.
When you get married instead of sending save the date cards, send fridge magnets. You’ll have some left over and you’ll always have one on your fridge to remind you of your anniversary.
The adage: “do what you must before you do what you may”.
As someone with serious ADHD, just saying this phrase before I or as I get distracted has saved me hours of lost productivity.
I apply it to everything. Getting on my phone at work? Not before I send that email. Finished dinner and want to go veg? Not before I clean everything up.
I repeat it to myself constantly throughout the day to keep me focused and taking care of the little things that otherwise would build up.
If you can’t get yourself to do something, get yourself to do just five minutes of the thing. Nine times out of 10, you will finish the thing immediately. Doing it is a hard, it’s just starting that’s hard.
Centrifugal force pulls every last drop to the nozzle.
My big bro taught me that one, never seen anyone else do it!
My life is changed. Once every two months, prep a bunch of frozen meals that you can just throw in the instant pot. You literally just throw raw meat, spices, etc into ziplocks and freeze it. When hungry, you pop this meal popsicle into the instant pot for 30 mins and have amazing hot meal. Minimal dishes (both during prep since it’s just chopping and throwing in bags, and after cooking), so easy non-cooks in the house can throw it in, and cheaper since you buy everything in bulk and spend less throughout the month. Less food wastage too.
Pinch of Yum has a bunch of great recipes.
– Don’t leave a room empty handed. There’s usually something in the room that belongs somewhere else, if it’s on the way, take it with you and put it away.
– Pomodoro. Generally set time constraints for doing a task. Work for 10-20 mins, take a 2-5 minute break. Adjust as necessary. This is best for getting started on a task.
If you always smell bad when working out, take a shower beforehand. The reason we smell is (usually) because of the bacteria on our skin. Washing it off before will significantly cut down on the odor. Everyone smells when we work out, so don’t get too worked up about it. But if you feel like you smell especially bad, or if you’re getting complaints, this works.
Also, hang your gym clothes up to dry as soon as you get home. When you wash them, replace the fabric softener with vinegar. Use about half as much vinegar as you would fabric softener. Vinegar has some antimicrobial properties and will also release any leftover soap. This will kill most scents trapped in your clothes. When you dry them, avoid dryer sheets; all these will do is help trap any remaining odor in the fabric.
If you are given a task that takes 5 minutes and you can squeeze those five minutes in, right now, do it. This kills procrastination. For anything outside of that, write it down, create a calendar event.
Go to bed at a normal time and create a decent sleep pattern. Everything is easier when you’re not tired. Also, sleep is free.
Maintaining a service log. I have a spreadsheet where I log any service I have done, who did it, the date, what it was and how much it cost. Auto repair, medical, dental, vision, veterinarian visits, appliance repairs, etc. Being able to refer back to this has saved me a lot of hassle (and in some cases money) over the years.
You can get garlic and other smells off your hands or out of jars etc by covering the surface in water which is also in contact with a metal such as steel. That is, rinse your hands under the tap while rubbing a teaspoon against the skin or fill the jar with water and stand a fork in it.
Windows key + D minimises all open windows.
Alt+tab switches between current window and last window used.
White vinegar in the laundry-so much cheaper than fabric softeners and the clothes are cleaner and softer.
Sometimes you stumble across a life hack that is so brilliant, that you have to almost kick yourself for not figuring it out earlier. But better late than never, and the internet is a fantastic place to start.
Someone asked “Which uncomplicated yet highly efficient life hack surprises you that it isn't more widely known?” and people shared their best secrets. So make sure you are ready to take notes, get as comfortable as you can, scroll through, and be sure to upvote your favorites. If you have some ideas of your own to share, feel free to go into details below, in the comments section.
Not only will rewording/summarizing help you retain whatever you learned, but over the years you’ll have your own personal book of knowledge to reference as a jumping off point for learning more.
While most of us are probably familiar with the idea of “hacking,” as in cutting something with, say, a machete or hatchet, the idea of a “life hack” is considerably more modern and is probably closer to the concept of a trench-coat wearing fellow in a dark room, breaking into “the mainframe.”
It was most likely coined by Danny O'Brien, who is still sometimes called the “father of lifehacks.” The idea really did catch on, as people very quickly came to appreciate the concept. Indeed, in the mid-2000s, there were entire conferences dedicated to “life hacks,” although it had a focus on technology and coding. Nevertheless, the idea has expanded and is likely here to stay.
Wipe down surfaces, clean a dish or pot or pan when something needs to simmer for a bit, wipe down your knives after use and dry them with a towel and put them back in the knife block.
I learned it from sister’s husband who is a chef.
It makes cooking so much more pleasant.
Also mise en place. Prep all your ingredients before hand and have them ready. Again, it makes cooking more fun and less arduous and the dishes turn out better.
You don't have to answer your phone if you don't want to. Neither calls nor messages. It can wait. Playing with your kid, taking that bath, finishing the chapter or whatever it is you don't want to interrupt is way more important. If it's a life-and-death matter they'll call again. And again. And again, trust me, you won't miss it. I have a rule with my family in fact, when I don't answer the phone, but it's really REALLY important, they should call immediately a second time, then I'll know and answer. BTW, your phone has a silent mode too.
You don’t have to get married. You don’t have to have kids. It’s a choice, and it’s your choice.
Too many people get pressured to conform and do what others do without questioning the rationale.
This is really stupid, but put your socks on BEFORE your pants not only is it easier to put the socks on without your pants being in the way, but your foot slides through the pant legs much easier.
The origin of the word "prestige" is "illusion." Don't waste excess time, energy, or money trying to impress other people. Focus on developing genuine strengths instead.
If you have adhd, create a folder on your phone called Safe Places. When you put an item in a "Safe Place" so you wont lose it or so you can remember where it is for later, take a picture of it in its safe place and put it in that folder. Good luck remembering to do any of this.
Paint the back of the switch plate when you are painting a room, that way you have an easy to carry, protected from fading swatch to color match later, if you need to.
We look at each other's eyes when trying to avoid bumping into each other and maintaining your gaze on the spot you're headed allows people to subconsciously see how to avoid you and will adjust their path accordingly. You won't have any more of those awkward encounters where you're looking at another person and you both keep trying to turn the same direction.
I read this trick on here years ago and use it all the time in stores, the mall, etc, and it really does work. Maybe it's because I look like a psychopath and people are trying to avoid me altogether, but either way it works.
This keeps screws from a single item in one place, easily visible, and easily referenced for future use (instead of sitting in a large pile of similar, nondescript hardware).
Just aim to be average at something or most things that you want to try/do. You'll get better at everything you do.
When you get married instead of sending save the date cards, send fridge magnets. You'll have some left over and you'll always have one on your fridge to remind you of your anniversary.
The adage: “do what you must before you do what you may”.
As someone with serious ADHD, just saying this phrase before I or as I get distracted has saved me hours of lost productivity.
I apply it to everything. Getting on my phone at work? Not before I send that email. Finished dinner and want to go veg? Not before I clean everything up.
I repeat it to myself constantly throughout the day to keep me focused and taking care of the little things that otherwise would build up.
If you can’t get yourself to do something, get yourself to do just five minutes of the thing. Nine times out of 10, you will finish the thing immediately. Doing it is a hard, it’s just starting that’s hard.
Centrifugal force pulls every last drop to the nozzle.
My big bro taught me that one, never seen anyone else do it!
My life is changed. Once every two months, prep a bunch of frozen meals that you can just throw in the instant pot. You literally just throw raw meat, spices, etc into ziplocks and freeze it. When hungry, you pop this meal popsicle into the instant pot for 30 mins and have amazing hot meal. Minimal dishes (both during prep since it’s just chopping and throwing in bags, and after cooking), so easy non-cooks in the house can throw it in, and cheaper since you buy everything in bulk and spend less throughout the month. Less food wastage too.
Pinch of Yum has a bunch of great recipes.
- Don’t leave a room empty handed. There’s usually something in the room that belongs somewhere else, if it’s on the way, take it with you and put it away.
- Pomodoro. Generally set time constraints for doing a task. Work for 10-20 mins, take a 2-5 minute break. Adjust as necessary. This is best for getting started on a task.
If you always smell bad when working out, take a shower beforehand. The reason we smell is (usually) because of the bacteria on our skin. Washing it off before will significantly cut down on the odor. Everyone smells when we work out, so don't get too worked up about it. But if you feel like you smell especially bad, or if you're getting complaints, this works.
Also, hang your gym clothes up to dry as soon as you get home. When you wash them, replace the fabric softener with vinegar. Use about half as much vinegar as you would fabric softener. Vinegar has some antimicrobial properties and will also release any leftover soap. This will kill most scents trapped in your clothes. When you dry them, avoid dryer sheets; all these will do is help trap any remaining odor in the fabric.
If you are given a task that takes 5 minutes and you can squeeze those five minutes in, right now, do it. This kills procrastination. For anything outside of that, write it down, create a calendar event.
Go to bed at a normal time and create a decent sleep pattern. Everything is easier when you're not tired. Also, sleep is free.
Maintaining a service log. I have a spreadsheet where I log any service I have done, who did it, the date, what it was and how much it cost. Auto repair, medical, dental, vision, veterinarian visits, appliance repairs, etc. Being able to refer back to this has saved me a lot of hassle (and in some cases money) over the years.
You can get garlic and other smells off your hands or out of jars etc by covering the surface in water which is also in contact with a metal such as steel. That is, rinse your hands under the tap while rubbing a teaspoon against the skin or fill the jar with water and stand a fork in it.
Windows key + D minimises all open windows.
Alt+tab switches between current window and last window used.
White vinegar in the laundry-so much cheaper than fabric softeners and the clothes are cleaner and softer.
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