Life Hacks That We Actually Use
While we at Lifehacker value life hacks, we don’t use all the tips every single day. We also tend to write about things that are fun to try or excite us until the next great life hack comes along. So, for a real inner sensation, I polled our team for tips that have stood the test of time. Here are our personal favorites:
Read stories aloud
My wife and I read to each other aloud when we brush our teeth at night . It started out of boredom with our new flossing regimen, but quickly became one of our favorite nights, a sweet couples ritual. We read both children’s books and books for adults. Phantom Tollbooth and Anne of Green Gables work great out loud, as does Jennifer Close’s Girls in White Dresses . It’s a good way to spend the night together.
Nick Douglas, staff writer
Write three pages of trash every morning
After Jaime wrote about the joys of the morning pages, I began to take care of myself. While I definitely stopped writing three pages at a time, or even writing every day, it brought me back to the habit of keeping a diary, or at least writing things down for the brain dump, which is very helpful. It really helped both clear my thoughts and dispel some of the mental cobwebs. And it’s very simple, but after we covered MoviePass and his crazy new $ 10 deal, I signed up again. It made me more inclined to go to the movies and gamble on films that I would otherwise not be able to pay for, which was rewarding and fun.
Virginia Smith, Managing Editor
Write by hand
Maybe it’s more of a necessity than a hack, but when I write and I need to be thoughtful, I always write a draft by hand in a room with no phone or computer. This goes for essays, letters, and sometimes texts (I know it sounds strange, but there were times when I really wanted to highlight the strong side). For me, this is the only way to have a clear mind, ditch tabs and notifications, and check Facebook as soon as possible. When I get stuck I am forced to tune inward and not on Google. The downside is overflowing notebooks, sheets of paper, and stickers all over the house.
Michelle Wu, parenting editor
Mute your keychain
My key ring [mufflers and steel cable key ring] is still fantastic. I have tiny pliers that I use to secure the wire fastener securely.
Patrick Lucas Austin, staff writer
Measure out your syrups and spices
I have a small refrigerator, so I never have a place to store a bunch of different cocktail syrups, so I always make as much as I need in a mug . It’s so quick and easy. More recently, I figured out how many grinds of my pepper mill it takes to make a teaspoon , which means I never have to grind it into another container and then measure it. This may seem like a very short time to save, but if you cook a lot, it really does increase.
Claire Lower, food and beverage editor
Make people feel cool
Here are some of mine. Being cute isn’t about looking cool, but about listening to others and making them feel cool . Start really all. I call this my Nike philosophy. Whenever I need to do something or I want to take on a new project, I just do it . Deal with the hinges later. And I cook that kind of bacon all the time. Bake the whole bag at once for bacon for breakfast all week. A super-fast microwave nuclear strike returns it to a sizzling, crunchy shape. This is the perfect solution for crispy bacon lovers.
Patrick Allan, staff writer
For me, putting an upright cup in the dishwasher has improved both my kitchen workflow and my marriage; my husband and I never have to ask each other who loaded the dishwasher last, and you started it, and are you sure ? If the cup is full, it is clean. I also use Stephanie’s tip to remove heavy slabs every time I do the deadlift.