1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Share your life hacks / advice!

Discussion in 'Chit Chat' started by Canterpiece, Sep 16, 2020.

  1. Canterpiece

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2015
    Messages:
    1,760
    Likes Received:
    106
    Location:
    England
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Lesbian
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Do you have a tendency to go off topic when writing? Read the last paragraph, then the paragraph before it and gradually go up the page doing the same with each paragraph. Consider if your writing is less cohesive when read this way, or if it still easy to understand. If it becomes hard to follow, then this is a sign that you might want to edit out parts. The reader should in theory be able to understand the message from top to bottom and bottom to top. I find this method useful when setting up arguments and structuring explanations of particular topics.
     
  2. SemiCharmedLife

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Oct 20, 2013
    Messages:
    3,062
    Likes Received:
    85
    Location:
    KY
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Get an Instant Pot and learn how to use it. It will make cooking (and cleanup) so much easier
     
  3. Poofter

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2019
    Messages:
    325
    Likes Received:
    162
    Location:
    Council Bluffs, iowa
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Find one thing in life you love to do then figure out how to get paid to do it. Makes your career something you can enjoy to go to everyday instead of a job you hate.
     
  4. Nightlight

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2018
    Messages:
    415
    Likes Received:
    49
    Location:
    East Asia
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    A few people
    Can't focus on a task? Do you keep procrastinating? Get a timer, set it to 1 hour or two depending on the estimated time to complete the task. Then make sure to finish whatever you're doing no matter what. You can refer to the time remaining to check your progress and effectiveness of your work strategy. Use a timer rather than a clock because gives you better feedback.
     
  5. Canterpiece

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2015
    Messages:
    1,760
    Likes Received:
    106
    Location:
    England
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Lesbian
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    YMMV.

    Personally, this is something that does not work for me at all. Even if I take away anything that could be distracting, I will find a way. After all, I can still pinch my skin, drum on the desk, spin around on a chair (if it allows) and mess with my hair. So I've taken to having subtasks that I can dabble in, but only if I complete a certain chunk of the main project first. When I set timers, I actually find myself avoiding the task all together. Plus, if it grabs my attention I might end up not hearing it if I'm not careful, once I'm in the zone it's difficult to escape. I'll plan to work for an hour, but suddenly it's 3 AM and my timer went off ages ago but I didn't realise.

    I prefer to have a looser approach, I'll stop and start at particular times but also have regular breaks and have a side task that I can do when I find my interest dwindling. This has been helpful when powering through all-nighters. So I'll say to myself "If I can fix this coding issue, then I can add another piece to this puzzle" or "once this issue is fixed, I can draw another line on my drawing".

    By doing this, my productivity actually improves. I have more motivation to complete parts of my work without losing myself in it at the expense of my health. Otherwise I go a little stir crazy and my work gets sloppy. Unfortunately, you won't really know what works and what doesn't work for you until you try out things.
     
    #5 Canterpiece, Sep 20, 2020
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2020
  6. Nightlight

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Mar 30, 2018
    Messages:
    415
    Likes Received:
    49
    Location:
    East Asia
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    A few people
    @Canterpiece I understand. It's just a suggestion after all~
     
  7. Canterpiece

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2015
    Messages:
    1,760
    Likes Received:
    106
    Location:
    England
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Lesbian
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Yes, of course. I think your post was a good addition to this thread and that it may be helpful for others.
     
    #7 Canterpiece, Sep 20, 2020
    Last edited: Sep 20, 2020
  8. Destin

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 14, 2018
    Messages:
    2,055
    Likes Received:
    715
    Location:
    The United States
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    You can get free discounts on almost any online website with a minute of effort. Lots of websites use the same default coupon codes structured in the same way. Some of the most popular ones which work (start from the highest of course in case it works)

    SAVE50
    SAVE40
    SAVE30
    SAVE20
    SAVE10

    It gives you a 50%, 40% etc. discount.

    Sometimes large companies have deals with large websites for their employees too, and you can guess those coupons since they're usually the name of the company. Pepsi, CocaCola, Marriott, etc.
     
    #8 Destin, Sep 20, 2020
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 21, 2020
  9. quebec

    Moderator Full Member

    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2014
    Messages:
    4,175
    Likes Received:
    2,348
    Location:
    U.S.
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Some people
    Canterpiece.....When I have a large job to do...one that just seems enormous...I have a way to deal with it. Every Fall I have to clean out my garage so the car can be parked in there for the Winter months. It's usually a complete disaster! About four years ago I came up with a plan for huge jobs that can "hang" over you. I went to my workbench and cleared off a space about three feet wide and the depth of the workbench. Then I walked out of the garage and ignored it for the rest of the day! The next day I came back in and cleared off about the same amount and left again. The workbench got finished the third day and on the fourth, I was clearing a small area to one side of the workbench when I felt like I could do a bit more...and so on. By the end of the week, the garage was cleaned and I found that I didn't mind the work at all! It wasn't that I couldn't do it, it was a more of a mental block. Just seeing the size of the job intimidated me into inaction. I've learned that this can be a way to accomplish many things in my life. When the job just seems to be too big, when the problem is just too difficult, I have learned to bite off a small piece and then come back for another small snack later. This has helped me many times! I hope this can help somebody else!
    .....David :gay_pride_flag:
     
  10. Tightrope

    Full Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2013
    Messages:
    5,415
    Likes Received:
    387
    Location:
    USA
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Some people
    Something along the lines of 'when someone shows you who they are the first time, believe them.' I don't know it verbatim. It's a famous quote by Maya Angelou. It's a good rule of thumb.
     
  11. Poofter

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Jan 31, 2019
    Messages:
    325
    Likes Received:
    162
    Location:
    Council Bluffs, iowa
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    Going camping and need something to help you get a fire started. Take with you some cotton balls coated in petroleum jelly. They work great In lieu of kindling.
     
  12. Tightrope

    Full Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2013
    Messages:
    5,415
    Likes Received:
    387
    Location:
    USA
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Bisexual
    Out Status:
    Some people
    Yes. This is very make or break. Some people catch this in time and some people wind up looking at the whole situation in the rear view mirror.
     
  13. musicteach

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2019
    Messages:
    519
    Likes Received:
    88
    Location:
    Mid-west
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Out to everyone
    This is for my musicians in particular horn players. Please. I’m begging you. For the love of all things, give your instrument a bath. Especially after you’ve been sick. Horn instruments are a germ’s favorite spot to hang out. And when you’ve been sick even before when you were still playing before you were symptomatic you still had those germs in you. Then you put them into your instruments. If you don’t clean it out, you’re going to keep getting sick.

    This is for everybody and one of the biggest things I preach to the band: “With Pride”. Do everything you do well and with pride. Even mundane things like setting up for work or school. Do what you do with pride.
     
  14. QuietPeace

    Full Member

    Joined:
    Aug 12, 2020
    Messages:
    1,706
    Likes Received:
    1,154
    Location:
    Northern Europe
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Other
    Out Status:
    A few people
    It is one of my favorite quotes, I just wish that I could follow the advice

    "When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time." - Maya Angelou
     
  15. LetsGoNow

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Sep 21, 2020
    Messages:
    93
    Likes Received:
    18
    Location:
    BhamUK
    Gender:
    Male
    Gender Pronoun:
    He
    Sexual Orientation:
    Gay
    Out Status:
    Not out at all
    Microwave scrambled eggs for healthy eggs.

    Laughing at your bullies by making fun of them....well I guess they ain't bully.

    Don't take NOTHING seriously. Life is easy then. Just don't seriously hurt or kill any living being and you are cool.
     
  16. Nespit

    Regular Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2020
    Messages:
    22
    Likes Received:
    4
    Location:
    USA
    Gender:
    Female
    Gender Pronoun:
    She
    Sexual Orientation:
    Lesbian
    Out Status:
    Some people
    If you like to cook beans, use a pressure cooker instead, saves so much time and energy. Also the day I learned that you can freeze bread is the day I ... well.. stopped having to throw out so much spoiled bread