In many places around the world, people feel busier than ever. Over half of Americans (52%),for example, say they’re usually trying to do two or more things at once and six in ten (60%) feel at least sometimes that they’re too busy to enjoy life.So perhaps unsurprisingly, if you’ve been on the internet long enough, you know that folks like to promote tips that will supposedly make your everyday routine a whole lot easier.However,one Reddit user made a postasking people to share thelife hacksthat they’ve come up with themselves—and may have kept a secret. Here are the best ones that they received.This post may includeaffiliate links.
In many places around the world, people feel busier than ever. Over half of Americans (52%),for example, say they’re usually trying to do two or more things at once and six in ten (60%) feel at least sometimes that they’re too busy to enjoy life.
So perhaps unsurprisingly, if you’ve been on the internet long enough, you know that folks like to promote tips that will supposedly make your everyday routine a whole lot easier.
However,one Reddit user made a postasking people to share thelife hacksthat they’ve come up with themselves—and may have kept a secret. Here are the best ones that they received.
This post may includeaffiliate links.
When someone says something outrageous (racist, mean, hurtful, whatever), do not respond at all. Go completely silent. Leave their comment hanging there like a fart. Let them marinate in what they just said.kymikobabe:Hear me out, orRepeat exactly what they’ve said out loud back to them. Say nothing else after. It gets them thinking.As a black woman whose recently moved to Australia I’ve had to adopt this approach instead. It’s been a wonderful strategy.
No matter what size bed you have, get a duvet that’s at least one size bigger.
Anytime I am getting up, I am taking something with me to put it back where it belongs.Going to the kitchen? Taking empty mug with me.Going to the bathroom? On my way out, taking laundry with me to the basket.Helps keep things tidy and it doesn’t feel like I’m working at it.
If you’re feeling sluggish or down in the dumps go for a walk or get out in nature, even if it’s the last thing you want to do.
If someone is rushing you, they’re scammers who don’t want you to stop and think.Are some situations objectively urgent? Yes. Is most urgency manufactured? Also yes.
The best way for me to deal with loneliness is actually not to pursue platonic or romantic relationships actively, but to keep myself busy working on and developing my interests.(Additionally, it’s important for me to do this both in a solitary and semi-social way - taking classes, joining groups, etc. However, I don’t use these semi-social outlets to make friends per se, but as a way to just be around like-minded people.)I find actively pursuing relationships when I am in a state of loneliness stress is a recipe for bad outcomes. I always meet the best people when I am more at peace with my life. Also, one of the big perks of having a relatively slow social life is time for personal development and working on interests.
Don’t go to the supermarket hungry.
Balance on one foot while you brush your teeth or wait for your dog to go pee or wait for the water to boil. Good balance is a really important physical skill especially as we get older and I find it can serve as a mini meditation session.
Go to thrift stores the week before Christmas and the two weeks after Christmas.The first week is all the stuff people threw out to make room for new things.The second week is all the stuff people threw out because they got newer versions.
I adopted a snippet of conversation from the movie, Bridge of Spies. At three, separate points in the movie, there is this fragment between Hanks (the Lawyer) and Ryland (the Spy) (whose birthday is today, too):Lawyer: You don’t seem to be worried about «event».Spy (after a short pause): Would it help?I like that. There’s no point to getting your knickers in a twist over events you have no control over, cannot influence, etc.My life is considerably more relaxed with that attitude.
When I don’t feel like cleaning, I put on a watch me clean show on YouTube and somehow within 10 minutes I get up and start cleaning. I need to try that with exercising next.
I drink a glass of water while I wait for my morning coffee to brew. I am very not in the mood for water, I want coffee. But I’m surprised at how much better I feel with that minor amount of rehydration every day.
I’m a guy. I used to constantly lose keys, wallet, phone, whatever. Things seemed to disappear from my pockets, I swear. I got over myself and started everything in a bag. Friends call it a purse, I could give af. Now everything’s together when I need it and nothing gets lost.
Go to the grocery store early in the morning. Less people and sometimes you can find some awesome clearance deals.
Pass / Fail MondaysI’ve found over the years that Mondays seem to be challenging for me. I tend to be a little less motivated, a little less energetic, and a little less positive.I now make Mondays Pass / Fail. There are no grades on Monday. I make no major life decisions on Mondays. If I find myself worrying or obsessing about something, I tell myself to set it aside and pick it up again on Tuesday.In order to “Pass” a Monday, all I have to do is show up:- Show up for my workout (it doesn’t have to be great…but I do have to show up)- Show up for work (I don’t have to be great, but I do have to show up)- Show up for my family (even if I feel tired or grumpy, just be there…maybe explain I’m tired and will feel better tomorrow)It’s saved me lots of Monday anguish.
When I want to leave a party early, I book a ride without telling anyone. So when the ride comes I just go “my ride is here I have to go!” So I won’t go through the entire hour of parting rituals like standing at the doorway chatting etc.
Mel Robbins' 5 second rule has worked wonders for my ADHD: When I can’t get myself to get started on something I need to do, I count down backwards from 5, like a NASA rocket launch (where she got the idea). It works like a charm! I think it breaks me out of my trance and helps me to switch gears.
I clean as I cook, so when I’m done; the counters are clean, dishes are in the sink soaking, and I got nothing left to do but enjoy the food.
When I’m at home, my keys and wallet always go to the same location unless I actively need them. That way I always know where they are.
If I need to remember to take something the next time I go out, I put it with my car keys.
If you don’t have the mental energy to meal plan/make a list before going to the grocery store, go to the international aisle, choose an intriguing ingredient (noodles, sauce, etc) and use the recipe on the box to finish your shopping and make dinner. The grocery store is literally full of recipes!!
It’s only a little thing, but I have attention issues and I lose stuff constantly. I got a new set of bluetooth earbuds that come in a little back charging case. Lost them about 4 times in the first hour that I had them despite having barely moved.Got some glow in the dark star stickers and taped them on. Now the little box stands out in general, and a lot of the time when I lose it in a room I can just turn the light off to see where it is.
Always keep a couple of bottles of water and basic snacks in the car. You never know where or how long you might be stuck in traffic, especially in larger metropolitan areas.I was stuck behind an 8 car accident on the interstate. Early part of evening rush hour, between exits and heavy rain. Sat there for 3 hours and was so grateful I happened to have snacks. Now I always have some in the car.
See Also on Bored Panda
Don’t start your day with sugar - it helps reduce cravings throughout the rest of your day and your snacking will take a back seat. I think it’s spiking your glucose early that does it. Start with something savory and packed with protein.
Folding my T-shirts to fit vertically in my drawer, like a filing cabinet. That way I can see all my options at a glance and pluck out the one I want. Figured this out 30 years ago. Turns out Marie Kondo reco’s the same approach.
Say less. People will over explain and give you the advantage.
Just show up. Whether it’s for your job, your BF/GF, your sports team, your parents, whatever. Just showing up, even if you’re empty handed, even if you can’t play, even if you’re not totally prepared for the meeting, just show up. Bailing on stuff and not being present is the worst thing you can do. Always show up.
Wash your pillowcases every time you do laundry. If you struggle washing your bedsheets weekly, at least have clean pillow cases for your face. It helps keep your skin cleaner too.
I put scrunchies around my wrists to wash my face, so the water doesn’t drip down my arms.
Don’t do anything important or make any major decisions while you’re either hungry or horny. a full belly and empty balls will save your life.
My personal lifehack: For upcoming exams that require memorization, I just read through the paper once in morning, noon, afternoon and evening. Don’t try to forcefully remember, just read, maybe out loud if can’t focus. Over several days, the brain naturally remembers it effortlessly. This of course requires doing it ahead of the exams at least 1 week, try to break the bad habit of studying rushed the night before the exam next morning with this. Repetition is mother of all learnings.
Pack a “go bag” with everything you need to live for a week and keep it in a convenient location in your home, office or car.I spent most of 2023 dealing with a massive medical issue that had me getting admitted to the hospital with zero notice more than once and having a hospital go bags saved my a*s more than once too.
My favourite phrase for keeping me calm about things is “Not my circus, not my monkeys”. It’s amazing how often it puts things in their right place. I also always run cold water under the collander when draining spaghetti so the steam doesn’t burn me.
My trick in school was to write some thing over and over again. The repetition of writing it made it so easy to recall.
When pouring sugar, flour, etc from a bag into containers I always do it in the sink that way if anything spills ( which seems to inevitably happen ) it’s easy to clean up.
The magic erasers will clean off tennis shoes. The sides of the soles. A little water on the foam eraser is all it takes.Capelily:Dry magic erasers are also great for cleaning lampshades.RankedAverage:To add on: Magic Erasers are a brand name. Stop buying them. They’re like $8 for three in stores but online you can get bricks of them (24+) for $3 and they’re the same thing.
My husband taught me that if I like something, relatively inexpensive, buy it in several colors.
Every morning I spend 10 minutes cleaning something before I go to work. Dishes we left to soak overnight, folding laundry we air dryed, organizing the coffee table. A little adds up to a lot.
When browsing recipes online, hit the print link to skip the extra chatter. Save it as a PDF or just keep the link for the straightforward version.
Drink water prior to a meal to reduce overeating.
I stick a piece of painter’s tape on the lid of leftover containers and write the date it was put in the fridge.
I have ADHD so staying on task is very difficult. I’m also the type of person who works best under pressure so this helps a lot. When I need to get something done that I’m dreading, I set a ridiculous countdown on my phone and try to do the task within that time frame. Example: Fold all my clothes in 1 minute, make my bed in 20 seconds. This has helped me more than medication actually lol.
Putting I little bit of tp in the toilet before number 2 to combat splashing.
Washing your face isn’t for your faces benefit. It’s so your hair doesn’t get greasy as fast. Wash your face and you’ll get an extra day without needing to wash your hair.Change the menstrual cup in the shower. Get as messy and bloody as you want and dump that blood down the drain. Bonus: Forces you to take a little shower morning and night and we all feel grosser on our period anyway.Take vitamin D. Just do it.Use the washcloth to do your regular body cleaning stuff in the shower. At the end of the week use that washcloth to do a quick wipe down of the bathtub edge and sink and get a fresh one. Really freshens up the bathroom without needing to get into total bathroom cleaning mode. Towels get sanitized in the wash and dryer just fine.Do whatever you can to make your life more efficient. For example I keep a dirty rag in the garage just for wiping down my backup cam that always gets covered in salt and dirt. Always needing a stool to get the casserole dish down? MOVE the casserole dish. We don’t think to do these things but adjusting your living area for your convenience does wonders for your mental health. Don’t be afraid to assess and rearrange stuff to how you actually use it.
Modal closeAdd Your Answer!Not your original work?Add sourcePublish
Modal close
Add Your Answer!Not your original work?Add sourcePublish
Not your original work?Add sourcePublish
Not your original work?Add source
Modal closeModal closeOoops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.UploadUploadError occurred when generating embed. Please check link and try again.TwitterRender conversationUse html versionGenerate not embedded versionAdd watermarkInstagramShow Image OnlyHide CaptionCropAdd watermarkFacebookShow Image OnlyAdd watermarkChangeSourceTitleUpdateAdd Image
Modal closeOoops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.UploadUploadError occurred when generating embed. Please check link and try again.TwitterRender conversationUse html versionGenerate not embedded versionAdd watermarkInstagramShow Image OnlyHide CaptionCropAdd watermarkFacebookShow Image OnlyAdd watermarkChangeSourceTitleUpdateAdd Image
Ooops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.
Upload
UploadError occurred when generating embed. Please check link and try again.TwitterRender conversationUse html versionGenerate not embedded versionAdd watermarkInstagramShow Image OnlyHide CaptionCropAdd watermarkFacebookShow Image OnlyAdd watermark
Error occurred when generating embed. Please check link and try again.
TwitterRender conversationUse html versionGenerate not embedded versionAdd watermark
InstagramShow Image OnlyHide CaptionCropAdd watermark
FacebookShow Image OnlyAdd watermark
ChangeSourceTitle
You May Like“Brilliant Idea”: 30 Shopping Hacks That May Transform The Way You ShopEglė BliabaitėHow To Ruin Your Entire Life: 35 Scary And Sobering Stories Shared By People OnlineIlona Baliūnaitė"Not Invited, Don’t Go": 35 Life Hacks That Actually Work, According to NetizensRūta Zumbrickaitė
Eglė Bliabaitė
Ilona Baliūnaitė
Rūta Zumbrickaitė
Curiosities
