When it comes to living a good and meaningful life, many of us have collected some nuggets of wisdom over the years. If you were to go up to a random stranger on the street, the odds are that they’d have at least a handful of advice they’d be happy to share with you. The sprawling r/LifeProTips community does the same thing, but more conveniently.
We’ve collected some of their members’ best tips from this month, from health and wealth to relationships, work, and DIY. Read on to check them out. Some of them are going to be completely new to you, so make sure you apply them instead of just taking notes. Meanwhile, others might sound familiar to you, so they serve as a reminder to keep doing what works!
We got in touch with Jodi Wellman, MAPP, to hear her thoughts on why some people don’t want to listen to well-intended advice and what someone should prioritize if they’re overwhelmed with everything they’re ‘supposed’ to do. You'll find Bored Panda's full interview with her below. Wellman is the author of 'You Only Die Once: How to Make It to the End with No Regrets' and the founder of 'Four Thousand Mondays.'
We’ve collected some of their members’ best tips from this month, from health and wealth to relationships, work, and DIY. Read on to check them out. Some of them are going to be completely new to you, so make sure you apply them instead of just taking notes. Meanwhile, others might sound familiar to you, so they serve as a reminder to keep doing what works!
We got in touch with Jodi Wellman, MAPP, to hear her thoughts on why some people don’t want to listen to well-intended advice and what someone should prioritize if they’re overwhelmed with everything they’re ‘supposed’ to do. You'll find Bored Panda's full interview with her below. Wellman is the author of 'You Only Die Once: How to Make It to the End with No Regrets' and the founder of 'Four Thousand Mondays.'
#21 Your Local Public Library May Have Free Subscriptions To Paywall Sites
I was doing some research about a dishwasher when I somehow came across the "A–Z Online Resources" on my local library site. To my surprise, Consumer Reports was on there and via my library card number I was able to access their full site. I also noticed the Washington Post, WSJ, Linkedin Learning, and a suite of other subscription sites were accessible as well.
YMMV. Have fun!
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48points
Which of the tips in this list did you personally find the most useful? What’s the best life advice that you could give anyone right here, right now, dear Pandas? What wisdom would you share with your past self if you could go back in time?
We’re always happy to read what you have to say, so feel free to drop by the comments!
#22 If You Or Your Child Is Learning A New Instrument, Don’t Buy A “Beginner” Instrument
Invest in a good, quality instrument. If that’s not affordable, rent one.
Beginner instruments don’t produce good tones. As a student, you have to work harder to get the notes to sound right. It makes the learning process harder, which makes it easier to get frustrated and give up.
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47points
#23 When Someone Long-Winded Calls, Put Them On Speaker And Start Cooking Something. That Way You Have An Excuse To Hang Up When It's Ready
I figured this out bc we have a family friend who won't shut up. so whenever she calls I choose what to make based on how long I feel like talking lol
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46points
#24 Consciously Get A Job At A Place Which Offers A Useful Discount
My current job, at a local quality food market, offers a 30% discount on everything and we often have access to tons of free produce and other free items. That savings adds up quick. Especially during inflation, I think it's a good idea to get a job like this.
45points
#25 Start Talking To Your Dogs Before An Important Phone Call
If you are at home and don't talk to your dogs all the time, there's no one else they are going to think you are talking to other than them. Give their excitement time to cool down before talking to someone they can't see.
44points
#26 When Buying One Greeting Card, Get A Second
When buying this weeks Mothers Day card, Birthday, Get Well, Sorry I *(#&(@*#$ Up, etc. get a spare. Over time you will have a folder full of various cards for those moment you forgot or last minute surprise. You will be amazed how handy a spare "Thinking of You, Love You" at random times can help a relationship in times of trial or strength.
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44points
#27 When Starting A New Job, Save A Copy/Screenshot Of The Job Description
After a bit of time working there, you can compare what you are actually doing to what your responsibilities were supposed to be to give you an idea of how honest the company is and if you should stick with the role.
Down the line, you can also use the original posting info as leverage to get a raise/promotion. If you find yourself doing a lot more or higher level work than you were hired to do, you can point to evidence that your current rate does not match your current level of work.
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41points
#28 Plant Bamboo Wisely
Unless you have a gaggle of pandas there are only two ways to plant bamboo:
1. keep it in a pot as an accent
2. in the ground of an overlooked corner of your enemy's backyard.
If you are going to buy a house that has a bamboo zen garden, be prepared for a yearly battle with an invasive plant.
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40points
#29 You Can Become Reasonably Proficient In Just About Anything In Six Months
The key is consistent practice. 10-20 minutes a day, 4-5 days a week. Following a structured routine or plan helps a lot too. Most skills are just stamina and muscle memory, with a little technique thrown in.
What does "reasonably proficient" mean? Better than average, basically.
With an instrument, it's enough to be able to have a small catalogue of songs you can play for people and they'll be glad you did.
With a sport, it means you'll be good enough to be a steady player on your local amateur team, or in competition to place in the top 50% of people your age.
With any skill, it'll be enough to impress others who don't have that skill.
Just six months. Start today and by Xmas you'll be a whole new person with a whole new skill that you'll never lose.
Maybe it's my age, but six months is no time at all.
38points
#30 If You Are Tired Of The Windows "Let's Set Up Your Device" Nag Screen After Major Updates, You Can Turn It Off
Pretty sure this nag screen only exists to try selling you into their 365 ecosystem. I got tired of the same thing after every update.
Settings > System > Notifications > [scroll all the way to bottom] expand Additional settings > uncheck "Suggest ways to get the most out of Windows and finish setting up this device"
Enjoy your Windows updates without the nag screen.
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38points
#31 When Buying Bigger Ticket Items Online, It Often Pays To Abandon The Check Out Process Right Before Payment
This is likely something many already have experienced...but a lot of online shops selling items above say $100 have automated flows that target users which have aborted a purchase, and they will not only remind you about your abandoned checkout but many times will offer you an extra incentive to complete your purchase in the form of a discount, which can sometimes be upwards of 20%. It's the e-commerce version of playing hardball.
This is not a given, there are some industries where profit margins are already razor-thin and/or it's a seller's market, but it pays to wait and see what happens.
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37points
#32 At Some Point In Your Life, Try Living In A Place Where You Can Walk To Amenities (Entertainment, Restaurants, Coffee Shops, Bars, Etc.)
I've been living in apartments with my wife the last 7 years or so. We've chosen to live in a spot that's walkable, near a lot of restaurants, coffee shops, parks, music/film venues, bars, etc. Though we live in relatively cramped quarters compared to a house, we really enjoy our lifestyle. There's been some press about the lack of a "3rd space" in today's world. We have 3rd spaces all around us. Gets us out of the house more often, keeps us healthier walking everywhere, and spurs impromptu social encounters. I’m not the most social person, but I know that it’s good for me on occasion.
If possible, for a portion of your life, even if only a year or two, try living in a space that has walkable amenities around you. Though we've compromised on space, it's really nice not having to get into a car to access the world around us.
For context, we're at $1775 a month for a 2 bed 1 bath in CA.
34points
#33 Requote Your Auto Insurance Every Renewal
My car insurance has been with progressive for the last 5 years. It consistently has gone up a bit every 6 months. This renewal bumped up coverage another 10%. I decided to shop around including getting another quote from progressive. The new quote from progressive was almost 50% lower than the renewal rate for the same coverage. Needless to say, I have one expiring progressive plan and one new plan starting the same day...
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33points
#34 Men’s Antiperspirant Will Very Quickly Remove Black Marks From Wood Floors
I discovered this by accident. My Dove brand Men’s antiperspirant (I am a lady but the men’s stuff smells better to me) fell on the floor and a piece broke off. After grabbing the bigger hunks, I grabbed a microfiber cloth and started rubbing to get the rest up and it happened to have fallen on a giant black scuff mark I had been trying and failing forever to get off. It literally wiped clean in seconds. Then I tried it on another black mark I had assumed was some kind of stain. It worked. My floor has never looked better!
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32points
#35 If You Only Do One Thing On Your Phone To Save Battery, Delete The Facebook App And Use The Browser For Facebook
I use an iPhone and my battery use showed a lot of background activity with the app and 0% with Safari, which is where I use Facebook now.
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31points
#36 If You're Going To Quit A Full-Time Job In The USA, Quit At The Beginning Of The Month Not The End
When you quit a job at many companies most benefits including health insurance continue until the end of the month in which you quit. If you have a gap between the end of your job and the start of the next you can maximize the time you are covered by quitting at the beginning of the month. This gives you time to take a break, relocate, etc.
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31points
#37 Once You Catch Someone's Attention In A Negative Way--Even Just One Time--You Are Forever Watched More Closely
If I have learned anything in life, it is that time and time again, the statement in the title holds true. Based on my experiences and observations, no one truly ever believes others are capable of change, or even believes that mistakes happen; and that said mistakes are not indicative of your overall character. Bottom line: even if a bad decision or mistake is an oddity or outlier scenario, you have already sewn the seed of mistrust and that is nearly impossible to change in the minds of others.
Best advice: ALWAYS fly below the radar to protect your reputation because you will never outrun a bad one.
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30points
#38 If You Walk Into A Restaurant 30 Minutes Before The Kitchen Is Closing, Ask The Staff If It's Ok For You To Order Knowing They Are Closing Soon. You Will Get Better Service, Cleaner, Food, And Sometimes A Hook Up!
anyone in the food service industry knows that 30 minutes before closing can be an opportunity to start prepping for close so you can leave as soon as the door is locked, or at least as close to it as possible. Acknowledging their time is valuable and maybe you’re the last customer they’ve seen in 45 minutes. 9 out of 10 I have gotten a positive response that it is cool to order, and you’re not being “that-guy” (because you are, and you could apologize for it)
If you are within 10 minutes of closing, ask them what is the easiest to make without a mess. Not only does this show you know what they’re going through, it’s also polite and sometimes at the end of the day there are extra food items that may have been thrown out or taken home, but now they are encouraged to hook you up with it!
Also, at the end of the day, certain tools or surfaces might be dirty from a long day of work and potentially give you food poisoning if they are not wiped down properly, and a tired employee might not GAF about the jerk ordering right before close time , so keep that in mind as well !
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27points
#39 Using Empty Prepaid Cards For "14 Day Free Trial" Subscriptions Without The Worry Of Forgetting To Cancel
Basically: Use prepaid cards
You can always just cancel the subscription but - i always forget 14 days later.
You may also just not want to have your info online.
The solution is buying a 25$ prepaid card, swiping it on whatever and the with 4 dollars on it, you can sign up for all the free trials doing this and theres no risk of you losing money - after 7 days, the payment doesn't go through. Sometimes they charge 1c
My Visa Vanilla card always works but recently i got a Joker Mastercard and it usually does not work for online purchases so watch out. Not a life changer but i dont feel as stressed or concerned about having to cancel the subscription that I only wanted to use once for a premium feature. If you really wanted to milk a site you could also likely just get a new email.
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27points
#40 If You Can't Get Yourself To Clean A Kitchen, Get A Remote Headset And Call A Friend You Haven't Talked To For A While
You will have a nice conversation, will be glad that you reached out to someone and - as you can't do much during the call anyway - will clean a kitchen (or other chore which is not too loud as vacumming). I just did that accidentaly today and after had two reasons to be happy about.
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26points