Life Hacks

[Jon]

What little tips do you have that help others improve their life?

One that I am starting to adopt came from leaving my phone at the gym by the treadmill. I went into panic mode! Fortunately, it was handed it. But to reduce the chance of this happening again, I am employing a checklist when I get into my car. I am using the mnemonic, "PacK 'eM": Phone - Keys - Money!

If I go through that each time, I am unlikely to leave my phone again, I hope!

 

[The_Doc_Man]

After a couple of incidents on the road involving calls to Sir Pop-a-Lock, I have taken to NEVER pressing the door lock button unless I do so with my car keys in that hand.

 

[Jon]

You've been imprisoned in your own car?

 

[The_Doc_Man]

Locked out of it. Keys in ignition (not running) or on seat, but me outside with door already locked.

 

[Jon]

Ah that is a pain.

I started a new life hack last week. One of the problems I've always had is knowing when to throw opened tins, or condiments. So, I buy some cranberry sauce. It says use within 4 weeks of opening. But then when did I open it? No idea. I had an invention in mind that you could have a sticker with a timer on it when the seal is broken. Then the gauge we slowly burn down so you get an idea when it should be thrown. But since we don't have this, instead I am putting a sticky label on the pot when I open it, and mark the date of opening. That is my life hack of the day!

 

[The_Doc_Man]

My wife dates everything she opens and anything she puts in the fridge. Freezer tape and a marker works wonders yet doesn't leave a jumble of overlapping dates. Rip the tap off, put on a new tape, date that. And label it. She also puts the date on our household A/C filters so we can remember when we changed them.

 

[Bee]

You can reduce the steps of your life hack further. Just buy a Sharpie (other permanent markers are available) and write the date on the lid (or on the jar itself). No need for faffing about with a sticker. And you may remember that I first introduced you to that life hack after you were half-poisoned to death by neolithic mayonnaise.

 

[Jon]

I had thought about it long before then but not using a Sharpie, as I have never heard of them. But yes, some things you can write on them. My life hack for today is to put a pen near where you open your food pots! I didn't label my chilli paste last night as no pen to hand. Iterating forwards...

 

[The_Doc_Man]

I should note we only use freezer tape on things that cannot be put back in their original container. Jars - we write on the lid or the label. But if it went into plastic storage containers, the freezer tape comes out.

 

[Jon]

Noted Doc. I am veering towards getting a marker pen as Bee suggested, keeping labels as a backup option as the Doc mentions.

 

[Jon]

Thanks to some of the suggestions here, I am implementing a "1% improvements" campaign - tiny incremental improvements that compound up to improve my life. Here is my Trello Kanban board with my starting list.

Edit: It should say "chaise lounge", not "chess launge"!

 

[Bee]

Edit: It should say "chaise lounge", not "chess launge"!

Or even, chaise longue....

 

[Jon]

Dammit!

 

[Bee]

 

[Jon]

Just to report in that I am using the Sharpie pens on my open jars and packets. They are working out a treat! It only took me a lifetime to work this out.

Another little hack that is working for me, is that when I am dieting, having two soups for lunch really works. Each bowl is only about 150 calories. So I might have one at say 1pm and another at 4pm. This reduces the risk of me snacking and the fluid fills me up too.

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

Your 1% improvement reminded me of a business strategy. If you improve a particular area of your business by a significant amount, it is obviously a good thing to do, however it's also obvious to your competitors. However if you make 1% improvements across many areas of your business then you can achieve significant improvement with much less effort, and your competitors have no idea why you are succeeding where they are not.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

There is an old phrase in the USA, "being nickeled and dimed to death" (to be taken as going broke for an accumulation of small charges.) I would suppose it to be possible that your 1% improvement would be a case of "saving nickels and dimes in the hope that it adds up on the bottom line."

 

[Bee]

You're welcome, Jon...

I can save you more time too. Just listen to me when I tell you things

 

[Jon]

I have a new life hack. When packing my gym bag, I used to put my clothes and stuff in there pretty much randomly. Now, I am putting stuff in there that factors in the order in which I will take them out. So, jeans in first, then t-shirt on top of that. Next go socks and underpants. It makes it much easier when getting changed in the gym. Useful!

 

[Bee]

Have you heard of Marie Kondo? You might want to check her out. A lot of what she says is common sense and is rooted in kaizen. Some of what she says will have you reaching for the remote. But, there are a few helpful Life Hacks if you are patient.