Best life hacks for dealing with life?

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alobaby
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05 Oct 2021, 9:40 pm

What are your best life hacks for dealing with life?



Shellbelle
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05 Oct 2021, 10:03 pm

Writing things down in my phone so I don't forget.

-a calendar with important events and plans.

- as soon as I run out of a grocery, I add it on a grocery list in my online instacart. Each week, I just click buy and schedule a pickup or delivery date and time.


Also:
Having a place for everything, and always putting it back.

And-
Keeping a fairly set schedule for chores so things always get done.

Automating what I can: bills and such.

These things save me so much time and energy so I can focus on more fun and interesting things.



AprilR
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06 Oct 2021, 1:46 pm

^Ditto, esp. Writing down everything on my phone.

I even write down the day i washed my hair so that i don't forget



Fnord
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06 Oct 2021, 1:55 pm

Shellbelle wrote:
Writing things down in my phone so I don't forget.
-a calendar with important events and plans.
- as soon as I run out of a grocery, I add it on a grocery list in my online instacart. Each week, I just click buy and schedule a pickup or delivery date and time.

Also: Having a place for everything, and always putting it back.

And: Keeping a fairly set schedule for chores so things always get done.

Automating what I can: bills and such.

These things save me so much time and energy so I can focus on more fun and interesting things.
All the above, plus:

• Getting my prescriptions automatically delivered on a regular basis (e.g., 1 week before the old prescriptions run out).

• Checking my personal email only once every week.


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Ettina
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06 Oct 2021, 2:34 pm

Using a real-life RPG app. I've tried a few, currently using Habitica, and it makes a big difference.



Lady Strange
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06 Oct 2021, 6:52 pm

Yeah I have to write everything down. Helps a lot.

That is a good idea to automate anything that can be.

I wear simple clothes and rotate them so laundry isn't ever too bad. Also solves the what to wear that isn't going to drive me nuts problem.



Shellbelle
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06 Oct 2021, 7:09 pm

Yes! Very smart Lady Strange!

Makes me laugh, I forgot about the clothes thing! Probably needed to write it down haha

I will make a bunch of outfits ahead of time and hang them in my closet so during my work week I won't be so stressed getting ready.



CinderashAutomaton
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07 Oct 2021, 2:54 am

1) Also writing things down.

I can't stress enough how helpful it is in organizing both your mind and your life. I always carry around a pen and at least one small notebook. I have a separate one for different things to keep things clear and concise, like work or school. Otherwise stuff that take up a lot of volume will end up burying important notes. Graph-type stuff, art, personal reflections, tool and machine designs, grocery lists, etc all take up a lot of space.


2) Work smarter, not harder.

I grew up being a diligent little worker with a bit of a perfectionist's attitude, and it led me down all kinds of wrong paths, mistakenly believing them to be the most optimum. Sure it's fine for personal projects, hobbies and other enjoyable pass-times but when business and survival, resources are limited. And time is one of them.


3) The KISS rule.

It stands for "Keep It Simple, Stupid". It's easy to get bogged down by complexity, and as much as I [used to] love it, complexity isn't always intelligent. Sometimes its even worth eating that bit of loss in order to simplify something, not to mention if you can manage to simplify it without loss. Learn to recognize when you're making something more complicated than it needs to be.


4) Avoid and Eliminate Clutter!

Clutter makes things ugly, disorganized and messy, and wastes resources, creates impediments, needlessly complicates matters, and creates environmental noise that makes it easier to lose sight of things in. And it's not just physical things that can be clutter, but mental and social things too. You need to be decisive, but also experimentative. There's a lot of things that most people could do without in their life, but for one reason or another keep with the assumption that they need it.

Obviously, much caution is needed for some things, and different people have different rules they have to operate under. Prioritize what's most important in your life. If you find a deficiency in the things you consider more important, start parring away the less important things that consume more resources. And don't forget to take into account mental health.


5) Don't always trust emotions/feel.

Too much can be said about emotions for all kinds of standpoints, so I won't bother. Bottom line is that emotions often lead people astray. Take them as indicators that something might there, but use your reasoning to figure out for yourself what you should do.


6) Invest in Curiosity.

Don't wait for important information to be handed to you on a silver platter. Hunt for it yourself. And be on the constant lookout for more. Invest in your random, idle curiosity. You can't know how important something might be to you if you know nothing about it, and you can't hunt for things you know nothing about.

Perspective relies on what you can see. Good decisions depend on what you know. If you're a proverbial frog in a well, you'll never know what's going on around you much less be able to do anything about it.


7) Learn new skills!

Everything from cooking to first-aid to car maintenance to map reading will always help you when it matters most. And it's tough to build up your self confidence when you rely on other more skilled people so much, not to mention how dreadful it feels to be helpless in situations that other people could handle. Learning new skills makes for great hobbies, too, and are incredibly fulfilling at that.

And don't underestimate yourself. People tend to be much more capable than they believe. The trouble is that 'learning' itself is a skill rarely taught, so it's natural that people with very little experience with it become their own worst enemy. Just be patient, and focus on remembering and figuring things out rather than reaching a goal. So long as you keep working on remembering and figuring things out, you'll eventually your goal.


8 ) Care Greatly for your Health!

For me, life has been a constant struggle between other people attempt to persuade me to or forcefully harming my health vs me trying my best to safeguard my health and well-being. But I learned too late to guard it with the importance it deserves. Health problems are inevitable as one grows older but they aren't necessary, especially when it's within your power to stop their onset.

Cultivate within yourself the habits necessary to sleep and eat right, exercise as much as you should, meditate regularly to sort what went on throughout the day/week, and everything else that'll keep you from falling into downward spirals of ill-health.

And above all, keep everyone away from those habits. Unless you're in danger of being bankrupt/homeless, it's not worth tacking on the additional burdens of health problems later in life. If someone thinks less of you for caring for your health, you can easily live with that. But in 10/20/30/etc years you still need to live and live happily. Forget what nihilistic idiots think.


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Double Retired
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07 Oct 2021, 10:46 am

(1) Keep organized records. I forget stuff so it is useful to have records. A lot of my records are on my computer (with thumb-drive backups, including backups in my safe deposit box) but I'm old so I also have a lot of old paper records. (Scanning the old paper records is a pleasant, repetitive task, by the way.)

(2) Write things down. Yes, but I'm old. I usually carry a pen and a pocket-size paper notepad. Before notepads that size were readily available I used to buy packs of blank index cards to make notes for myself. From my old records I can see I started doing this in the 1970s--long before pocket-size computers.

(3) Leave visual reminders. If I need to do something I'll make myself a note and leave it on my dresser or desk...seeing that note nags me to do the task until I do. Sometimes the reminder is more tangible, a tool or some other object, that is set where I will see it when I perform related tasks. And, for instance, I'm old so I keep my morning pills at a specific spot on my dresser...when I take them I move them to a different spot...I can tell by seeing where the pill bottles are whether or not I took the pills (which is important because I can take the pills and by the time I've walked across the room I'm sometimes not sure whether or not I took the pills!).

(4) Be organized. A place for everything and everything in its place. And if that "thing" is a recurring activity then its place is a specific time...have and follow routines. And the calendar on my computer (previously the paper calendar on my desk) keeps track of when I should do things and when I did them.


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Last edited by Double Retired on 07 Oct 2021, 3:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Dear_one
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07 Oct 2021, 1:41 pm

Own few things that have many functions.
If you are young, plan on getting as much value in education as in money from a job, until you can always find work.
Help other people when you can, but don't do what they should do themselves.
Never forget that these are extremely chaotic times, with multiple crises coming to a head. Don't make them worse, and expect to spend your life dodging disasters.
Know your limits, and if they are a problem, work on improving them.
Ignore advertising, except as warnings that you will be paying a lot for them, not the product if you do buy.
Where large sums of money are involved, assume that the information will be heavily polluted with self-interest, against the public good.
Entertainment should be for when the chores are all done, not a way of life. If you have no chores, entertain yourself with puzzles that may improve the common good, that you are particularly suited for solving.
If you have any aptitude, keep some tools around and learn to fix things. This helps you save money on both goods and rent. It can make you some friends and get you income, too.
You probably need plenty of sleep, healthy food, lots of good water, exercise, clean air, sunshine, nature, and low noise pollution to function well. Don't let them slip. Some would add laughter and tears, among other essentials for happiness.
Do the math.
Avoid Facebook and similar sucker traps.
Vote.
Choose your battles wisely - people have a huge variety of limits and blocks that usually prevail.



oddlychill
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20 Oct 2021, 10:09 pm

2&11 are the best because they are the ones most often not focused on.
1.Back up keys.
2.Knowing everyone else's schedule and constantly updating mine to meet them part ways at least when needed. Absolute best if you are a parent.
3.Pen, memo pad, wallet combo with a lanyard to prevent losing it.
4.Labeled clothes drawers.
5.Buy it for life mentality towards commonly used items boots, shoes, pants, belts, wallets, pens, furniture.
6.If I can't find exactly what I want I will make it or modify it. Especially shoestring lengths.
7.Researching quality in materials and processes items are made of so I don't spend hours researching replacement after something breaks. Back ups if the item is not known for holding up if there is no alternative.
8.Organized fridge and cupboards.
9.Organize your daily child care items if you are a parent.
10.Saving and spending strategies.
11.Knowing the top dependable car brands/makes and common cars to prevent break downs and break down time (available parts on hand are more common for common cars).



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22 Oct 2021, 1:31 am

Ettina wrote:
Using a real-life RPG app. I've tried a few, currently using Habitica, and it makes a big difference.


Oh, this looks really interesting. I'll have to check it out, I think it might help me with work. :)

For every day things, it's all just simplified... eating the same meals every week so I don't have to decide what to buy, simple clothing so I'm comfortable and don't have to decide what to wear. I really only wear t-shirts and jeans, plus a hoodie if it's cold. No complicated outfits. I tried to be more "feminine" and I just feel way too uncomfortable when I dress that way. Luckily I don't work somewhere where I need to dress a certain way or look professional.

I don't normally have problems with remembering appointments, I always end up showing up to things too early because I'm worried about missing things or being late. Sometimes I show up embarrassingly early lol. :oops:



Dear_one
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23 Oct 2021, 1:49 pm

If your friend is in a crisis and has a lot to deal with, offering to help is often an empty gesture. Instead, find a chore, and volunteer to do that. Bring a meal, help with cleaning, research their options and list them clearly, loan them things they need, help deal with people, etc.



browneyedgirlslowingdown
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24 Oct 2021, 4:08 pm

Overall:
Decide what your roles are, what they mean, keep a running list of things to do in those areas and plot them weekly on your calender.

EX) Girlfriend - love my partner be his best friend this week: Date night, make sure you ask about how work is going, and how he is feeling about his big move
Student - meet w/ advisor, study two hours each day,
Homemaker - Launry, get sea salt, drop of cards at post office

I make the list, and then I plot thing on the calender for the week, including day/time. I have 11 roles and do stuff for each of them everyweek and place those on my planner first followed by any new commitments etc.

I also go over bills every Sunday, add my chores on schedule, and plan my week then too as well.

Career/job: Pick one that has job opportunity everywhere, pick one that you can tolerate, when you choose a lifestyle make sure said job/career is something that can ensure you can live at your basic standard easily.

I am sure there are loads of others, but I am thinking about these two primarily right now.


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Eirianbryn
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25 Oct 2021, 9:06 am

I set "reminders" by making alarms on my phone and titling them based on what I'm reminding myself of. Or calendar reminders.


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Ade C
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25 Oct 2021, 1:34 pm

Alcohol