Let’s talk about life hacks. And before you start rolling your eyes, let me tell you, I’m on the same page. I think we are all better off without the weird advice on how to “peel onions without shedding a tear” and “open a stubborn banana from the bottom.” So it’s safe to say, internet life hacks don’t particularly have the best reputation out there.
But what if a small fraction of them out of that whole sea of absurdity do indeed work? I’m not implying anything, I am just wondering if we’d all give them one last chance. Last one, bottom line. Would we get to know something genuinely useful?
Well, we’re about to find out, since people in this r/AskReddit thread have been sharing some pretty interesting life hacks that sound crappy but actually work.
#21
A knitted fake wasp nest. Our wasps buggered off the same day, haven't been seen since.
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142points
#22
When someone you like or respect does something confusingly infuriating, imagine the most-favorable-to-them possible explanation, and pretend that's true. Wait until you know more before getting reflexively angry.
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138points
#23
Not necessarily crappy per se but I always encourage people to befriend the hospital employees that bring you your meal trays. They’ll hook you up with the good stuff so you’re not stuck eating crappy food.
135points
#24
Choose your reaction before your emotions can.
I was always jealous of people who naturally had a great response to problems (like “I forgot something at home. Oh well, it happens to everyone. I’m sure they’ll understand why I’m late.”). I began really noticing how much easier that must make life, so I started trying to imagine the “right” reaction to situations.
If you make yourself pause to think of a good reaction, you can kind of choose it like “Yeah, that would be a good one” and then you don’t give your stupid brain an opportunity to throw out a sh**ty reaction.
(Someone made me remember something I think is important to add, so I’m pasting it here so it won’t get lost)
I learned to do it despite it seeming impossible. The trick for me was to recognize that I was enabling and feeding my own emotional responses, like “My car won’t start, I should be upset! Why wouldn’t I be?! This will cost me money!” I was choosing to be upset because I was “supposed” to be, or I was entitled to be upset. But I didn’t really want to be.
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134points
#25
In facing dilemmas, I ask myself, "What would smart me do?" The answer is usually obvious. Smart me still sometimes gets vetoed, but genuinely helpful tool.
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120points
#26
Don't save your banking information on online stores. Makes impulse buying much more difficult if you have to track down your wallet.
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113points
#27
Putting kiwi on a steak.
Kiwi juice has enzymes that break down meats, tenderizing the steak. Pineapple does the same thing, but has a much stronger flavor. So put a bit of kiwi mush on your steak about 30 minutes prior to cooking it and it will be amazingly tender without a strange flavor added.
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113points
#28
Never shop when hungry.
Habits are formed over a few weeks.
Look after your feet, even a blister can screw up your week.
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113points
#29
If you keep forgetting if you locked your door/car/lock, do something silly after locking it. It will help you remember if you have to think back.
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94points
