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“What’s Something ‘Low Effort, High Reward’ You Wish More People Knew About?” (30 Answers)
People tend to underestimate things that come their way the easy way, or without any extreme effort. Be it things, education, skills or something related to our health - incredible efforts or big money spent on it increase its value in our eyes. But how true is this?
No, in some cases - for example, when it comes to education, high costs are mostly justified. You will not find, for example, courses on YouTube comparable to Harvard or MIT. But in everyday life, it's quite possible to significantly improve your life with really low efforts. So our new selection of facts and stories is dedicated to such pieces of advice.
More info: Reddit
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Walking daily. Even just 10 minutes in the morning helps a lot.
Dog Mom to Zoe 5 months ago
Agree. I have 2. They stare me down if I'm late for our walks.
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keyboardtek 5 months ago
I have arthritic knees and feet so walking is painful. But I can swim. I hit the pool six days a week!
Sven Horlemann 5 months ago
As a runner, I agree. It is just about time on your feet, not speed, mind you. Just be outside.
RELATED:
#2
Sunscreen and a hat works better than a $300 skincare routine.
Mel in Georgia 5 months ago
As an older woman, I have sags and wrinkles everywhere except on my b*m and tatas. There's a reason for that!
sturmwesen 5 months ago
When I compare myself to people my age group or my sister, that vacation in the south regulary and have a huge skin care routine my skin is so much younger/wrinkle free even without using creams or serums. I am convinced it's because I don't really sun bath.
#3
Drink enough water daily.
Mel in Georgia 5 months ago
Sorta? Most things with water content help, but, as you undoubtably know, water is best.
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In various communities on the Internet, you can find many threads dedicated to this question, or more precisely, "What’s something 'low effort, high reward' you wish more people knew about?" and in two fresh threads that we found, several hundred answers and their discussions have already accumulated in just a couple of days.
So please meet our collection of the most interesting and useful opinions of these threads, made for you by Bored Panda!
#4
Calling your 80plus year old parents just to say hi and end with love ya guys.I work in a retirement home for last 16 years and this makes there day.
Mel in Georgia 5 months ago
And please don't think that a visit or call to a parent with dementia won't matter because they won't remember. They might not remember the conversation or even that you were there, but they will FEEL better. One study had memory patients watch either a sad or happy movie. They weren't able to recall the movie, but when asked how they felt, they were happy or sad depending on the movie they watched. Your positive attention matters!
Paul C. 5 months ago
My wife and I used to visit her dad in the nursing home when he got into his 90's and he would often tell us long involved stories of how he had cycled miles and miles the day before. In his youth he was a very good long distance racing cyclist. We went along with it, asking questions about different places and the scenery. He loved it although he was totally bed bound. Wife's sister and BIL would say don't be silly you can't get out of bed, how can you believe you were cycling? I got so annoyed with them (big arguments) that they couldn't see that his mind was cycling him back to his youth. Rest easy John.
Denise Melek 5 months ago
That's one of the things messengers are good for, if elderly people use it. You can just send them a hello, a how is your day, a picture of something you do, your pet, the kids..
Emilu 5 months ago
Please call your parents (assuming they're not toxic jerks and you're in contact with them). You'll likely experience losing them one day and whilst it hurts like hell either way, at least you can say you have no regrets like "I should have contacted them more" or "I should have been there more".
#5
Kindness.
keyboardtek 5 months ago
The anonymous factor of social media and the internet has brought out all the cruelty in people. They hopefully do not act that way to people in person.
#6
I find it really rewarding giving people genuine compliments. Often I'll think, Oh that person always dresses nicely when I see them, or, her nail polish is really cute, and i used to just think this and move along. Lately, I've been telling people if I think something nice about them and you'd be surprised how genuinely happy it can make people.
We were shopping at this big outlet mall and there was a nice but pretty unhappy looking lady (in the States people smile a lot but not so much in this part of Europe; i understand that but this wasn't a case of that, really, she looked like she might be having a bad day) helping us. While she was packaging up the purchase I noticed her nails were really cute and, though I was kind of intimidated to say something (I try to mind my business here in case my small talk is unwanted lol), I said, "I like your nails, your nail polish, it's so cute." Her whole demeanor changed, it was like a dark cloud lifted from her face. She smiled and held up her hands to show me and said, "I did them myself!" I said, "really? It looks so good and it's like Easter colors" (this was before Easter). She was so happy, "Yes! I did them for Easter!" When we left the store she still looked happy and it felt so nice to me to think i made someone smile even if it was just for a moment.
Mel in Georgia 5 months ago
This is easier for a woman to do than a man. Still, if a man compliments me, I try to take it at face value, smile and say, "Thanks!"
Bell-icose 5 months ago
Men can absolutely do this too. The trick is NOT to try to bang the woman you’re complementing after she smiles and says “thank you.” If you just say, you’re welcome” and walk away you won’t be creepy.
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Julie Buck 5 months ago
i work in retail and i often ID people who are very much over 18 or 25... never fails to make the laugh or smile ... Costs nothing to complimate
Zaach 5 months ago
There is almost always something about a person that can be commented on: nails, tattoo, broach, some article of clothing (but never looks!!). The baristas in my coffee shop have some truly interesting tattoos and I talk with about it a lot. One barista had a lot of tattoos and when it became sunny she went sleeveless showing many more so I bought her a copy of "The Illustrated Man" by Ray Bradbury which is about a tattooed man whose tattoos are the link to all the short stories. It is pretty heavy so it probably would not be a gift for everyone. (odd note - she has an amazing face so I asked if I could make her a mask of her face and make one for my glass collection - did I forget to mention that I work with warm glass? she had seen some of my work and was trying to figure out how to ask me to make a mask so it worked out well for both of us)
Celtic Pirate Queen 5 months ago
I got sober about 19 months ago. My husband (18 years) leaves me little notes that say "I'm proud of you", "You're doing great!", or just "I love sober you". It makes all the difference knowing I have so much love & support.
Sven Horlemann 5 months ago
I totally agree. Works, even in Germany, 90% of the time. Good enough for me.
Interestingly, a significant portion of the advice presented in this selection concerns mainly our health, both physical and mental, as well as our household. The most interesting thing is that the vast majority of recommendations fully correspond to the description - these are really low effort and mostly high reward things.
For example, the idea of putting things in their place immediately after using them is, by and large, as old as the world, and as effective as the world too. We take the laundry out of the dryer - we put it on the shelves. The dishwasher signals the end of the wash - we do the same with the dishes. In fact, this really saves a lot of time... so why do many of us not follow this wise advice?
#7
Brush your d**n teeth!
Yrral Spavit 5 months ago
Lost a tooth. It had a difficult root so $2k for a root canal to try to save it. Lost it anyway two years on. Several hundred to remove and prep for implant. Implant is north of $3K. Brush and floss your teeth!
#8
Flossing once a day.
It takes like 2 minutes, but the long-term payoff in dental health, fresh breath, and avoiding painful (and expensive) procedures is massive. Plus, it makes your dentist way nicer to you.
Cosmos in your eyes 5 months ago
I hate to say it but it's true! And my teeth sensitivity went WAY down.
#9
Put stuff in their place immediately after using. Dishes in the dishwasher. Dirty clothes on the hamper. Snacks in the pantry. Takes a few seconds and decreases the mess exponentially.
Child of the Stars 5 months ago
I do this as a coping skill for depression and anxiety. Mess and clutter make it worse, so if I stay on top of it, it helps keep the symptoms manageable.
If we discard trivial things like human laziness, then procrastination (which has become an integral part of our lives today) and just being overloaded with various things remain. In fact, we're sometimes so afraid of not having time to do something - that in the end we end up not having time to do even more. A paradox? Yes. But it's precisely these boring routine habits that sometimes help us be more productive.
"Researchers have found that we’re more likely to overcome a relational or work-related impasse not when we are hunched over our desks in rapt concentration or collaborating in a Zoom meeting, but rather on breaks when we do boring activities or when our minds wander," Lydia Sohn, a United Methodist minister and writer, notes in her article for The New York Times.
"Approximately one-fifth of our most creative ideas emerge during those times."
#10
7 minute stretching routine when you wake up and before you go to bed. Stretching is an extremely underrated type of exercise that can drastically affect how well your body moves without pain, especially as you get older.
keyboardtek 5 months ago
When you get old and your tissue dries out, it is important to not stretch cold muscles. Move around a bit to warm them up before stretching anything. Too easy to tear the cold soft muscle tissue.
Mel in Georgia 5 months ago
Why? I mean I don't do this but it sounds like a good idea.
Load More Replies... #11
Shutting the f**k up.
Michael Largey 5 months ago
Not everything that pops into your head has to pop out of your mouth.
#12
Doing the dishes and cleaning up the kitchen, every time you've eaten food.
I've made it a habit, and it's so nice that I can just go to my clean kitchen and start cooking, or make me a sandwich, whenever I feel like it.
I've begun cleaning while I cook, that limits the piles of dirty cooking gear afterwards, making the cleanup a lot easier and faster.
Karl der Große 5 months ago
In my house, I have some bugs that come by and lick off the big chunks of food. It makes it a lot easier when October rolls around and it is time to do the dishes again. PM me your address and I'll send you some.
Mel in Georgia 5 months ago
That has to be the most hilariously disgusting comment ever. Congrats.
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Earonn - 5 months ago
Or - do them weekly, always on the same day. Scrap off big chunks and live happily in the knowledge that they will be taken care of. I developed that during lockdown and it prevents the feeling of guilt I had when in the past "I should do it but can't do them for reason X". No, they don't stink, no, I didn't get pests (not even the cat was interested), no, it doesn't make you sick.
In fact, this point of view is supported by many examples from the lives of famous people. For example, the great detective writer Agatha Christie admitted more than once that she came up with her best plot twists and book ideas when she was simply washing dishes at home.
Washing by hand - and while the hands did the usual mechanical work - the mind, free from thinking about a long-familiar procedure, was creating with all its might.
In other words, by doing some routine things useful for the household, we actually free up time for the future (after all, if you don’t empty, for example, the dishwasher in time, you will definitely have to do it at the most inopportune moment - well, I have personally verified this...!), and, in addition, we free up our brain for all sorts of creative things or hobbies.
#13
Working out, even for 10-20 mins every 2 days is enough to keep you in a better condition than the average person.
zububonsai 5 months ago (edited)
Especially ladies 45+ like me!! No, you will NOT look like the the "Michelin man"/Hulk Hogan after your 2-3x a week one hour strength training. Instead: better overall posture, less mobility and balance problems in your future very advanced age. Start slow, few and easy but "technically clean" exercises (ask around, or watch YouTube videos like "doing my first push up"...) It feels soooo cool to pull off push ups/pull ups, hand stand etc. You don't need a gym membership to carry around heavy stuff or jumping rope. Work slowly but steady, set mini short term and long term goals. If something starts to bore you, try something different. Most important: have fun!
zububonsai 5 months ago (edited)
I will never restart doing Judo (my joints are knackered), but I rediscovered the fun of playing table tennis. (Here in Germany I recommend the app "meet5" where you can join or set up groups like "table tennis on Fri at 5p.m./ or Yoga at the park/ slow hiking., stand up paddling, visiting a botanical garden, or big trekking tours through Norway," whatever floats your boat...) I'm new to meet5 myself but blown away by the variety it offers.
Load More Replies... #14
Setting up autopay for bills
saves time and avoids late fees.
Tele Avision 5 months ago (edited)
Most people who don't use autopay its because they have to make sure they have money in their account at the time of withdraw. These are the many who are people living paycheck to paycheck. These are the working poor making Utility Companies, Property Management companies, and every other basic needs parasite providers wealthy.
SchadenFreudian Psychology 5 months ago
Maybe I’m over-cautious, but I’d rather make the transaction myself.
Mike F 5 months ago
FWIW I do too. My sister and I were just talking about this yesterday and I have it on my car insurance but I won't do it on the utilities because when I had it set up in Detroit I couldn't get the d@mned thing shut off when I moved. I got the utilities disconnected, but they continued charging the budget amount. It was h3ll.
Load More Replies... keyboardtek 5 months ago
My wife pays the household bills. She checks every bill to make sure there is no mistake. She does not like autopay because she thinks there are often mistakes. In the many years I ran a business I never encountered a single autopay mistake.
Manos 5 months ago
I get a notification before every autopay so I can see what I am paying. I thought that was normal.
Load More Replies... #15
Get enough sleep.
Another category of advice presented in this selection of ours concerns various frugal hacks. A very relevant thing in the modern world with its insane prices, when money sometimes slips away like water through your fingers. So, in fact, I will tell you for myself - I completely agree with the authors from this list who say that the ability to cook and various DIY skills are a real treasure.
In fact, I'm even afraid to imagine how much more money would be spent on our family budget if my wife didn't know how to cook (I can do it too, but she does it better). As for, well, household skills, I generally support the opinion that critical things should be done by professionals - however, for example, I assembled all the furniture in our house (my wife can do it too, but I do it better).
The most interesting thing is that this is really a low-effort thing - you can really learn a lot, for example, through videos on YouTube. Perhaps a professional will do it better and faster, but you, firstly, will be proud every time you look at what you did yourself (if, of course, you did it well), and secondly, your wallet will be just as happy as you are.
#16
Stand straight
You will inspire confidence.
#17
Not drinking will improve your life so much.
Bell-icose 5 months ago
In every way. Even if you don’t quit outright, just cutting back significantly is a huge win.
Papa 5 months ago
Not in every way. I enjoy two or three beers in the evening. Stopping would remove some enjoyment from my life.
Load More Replies... Earonn - 5 months ago
Yes, so will not eating crisps. Or not sitting on the couch and watching a movie. Or spending money on something I only find beautiful. Being careful not to drink too much is one thing, but life is full of little nice things that are bad for us if we do / get too much of it.
#18
Investing early. Even small amounts grow into something huge if you just leave them alone. Compound interest is the ultimate "set it and forget it" cheat code. I wish I would've started earlier.
Henrik Knudsen 5 months ago
A lot of people are living paycheck to paycheck. So that's a no go.
Okay, anyway, the main thing about this selection is the opinions and advice of netizens that we've collected for you, so please feel free to read this list to the end and, if you also have something to share with other people, feel free to write everything in the comments below this post. In the end, as the great Roman sage Cicero said, "No one can give you better advice than yourself."
#19
Some basic DIY. The savings are insane, the satisfaction is immense.
Pushcake 5 months ago
Yes it is! Helped me replace the motor in the washing machine instead of buying a new one. Huge cost difference and it's still running!
Load More Replies... #20
Making bread or, in general, your own baked goods. So much better than what you get in a package (in taste and quality) and not as hard as people think.
Mel in Georgia 5 months ago
I don't eat enough bread to justify this. I like my preservative-loaded store-bought loaf so I can have a sandwich every once in a while!
Ace 5 months ago
Yeh it's tricky when you're on your own. The amount of home baking I do has dwindled almost to nothing dice my wife died - all that effort and then I throw half of it away. Helps, of course, to have access to proper French baked goods in the shops...
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Celtic Pirate Queen 5 months ago
I LOVE making bread. My stepmom taught me to make roasted garlic bread, caramelized onion bread and sourdough.
Emilu 5 months ago (edited)
I love the lazy sourdough in a Dutch oven/cast iron pot recipe. So easy; the biggest issues are a) waiting for the dough to do its thing and b) for it to cook so I can eat it. I do have to share it with people to get it eaten before it spoils though... as much as I would be willing to try, there's no way I could eat an entire loaf myself.
#21
I live in Indiana and had kids in my 20s. I took online classes at community college with PELL grants for 2 years. While working. I didn't get a degree but I looked at what certificate I could get related to my day job. I worked at a warehouse. Got a certificate in Supply Chain Management and Logistics. I've gotten two promotions since then at the same company. I mailed my transcript to corporate HR and my profile in the system gives me credit for basically having a degree when I apply for jobs. I work in the office now doing inventory on spreadsheets and records etc.
#22
Compound interest.
Ace 5 months ago
Not available everywhere. In Switzerland it's simply not possible to earn interest on a simple bank deposit account. Interest rates have been so low over the 25 years I've been living here, like averaging 1-2% on mortgages over that time, that banks just do not pay any interest at all.
#23
Delayed gratification.
#24
Meditation. Once you get the hang of it it transforms you and your life.
Just 10 minutes a day will make a big noticeable difference within weeks.
Joy 5 months ago
True. Sometimes meditation can just be thinking aloud or working things out in your mind. It doesn't have to Ommmmmm while sitting cross-legged. Meditation is the time and space we give ourselves to replenish and rejuvenate. Pottering around being busy doing nothing and loving it is a great way to meditate. I think people meditate more than we realise.
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Maggie Fulton 5 months ago
At my age, there’s a thin line between meditating and falling asleep.
keyboardtek 5 months ago
At 70 I still occasionally do Transcendental Meditation that I learned when I was 18 years old. It is very effective at stopping the worrying mind.
Earonn - 5 months ago
Meditation can be anything that connects you with your inner Self and / or with the greater world out there. I like to read books by Joseph Campbell or CG Jung. In a way, it's the same as prayer - it gets you into touch with the deity, just that in meditation the deity is not another being but both you yourself and the whole universe. ♥
#25
If something takes less than 2 minutes to do, just do it. You’ll feel better when it’s done.
#26
Putting money in a Roth IRA while you are under 40 years old and leave it be. Just put it in a stock index fund, nothing fancy needed. Compound interest and passive income are about as low effort, high reward you will ever get.
keyboardtek 5 months ago
Hopefully one has the income level to be able to have extra money left to invest after paying your bills. Too many people do not.
#27
Installing a bidet.
Rob Stevens 5 months ago
The one in the BP picture is expensive to have installed but you can get a really good bidet seat attachment for around $60 US that's quick and easy to install DIY. It's worth ever cent.
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#28
Using people's names to get them to like you.
Michael Largey 5 months ago
I always learned my students' names (and what they liked to be called) right at the start.
Child of the Stars 5 months ago
My oldest's science teacher asked her if she preferred her legal name or the more common nickname. Instead of saying either was okay, she just said she didn't care what he called her. So he nicknamed her Dinosaur. Now she's just known as Dinosaur to everyone 😂
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Firstname Lastname 5 months ago
If it is a stranger reading my nametag, it weirds me out more than the generic Miss, Ma'am, Honey, etc
#29
Flowers. A bunch of flowers is such a high impact romantic gesture that costs so little.
Boredandsomea 5 months ago
not always, my girlfriend hates flowers and don´t see the point in them, she likes low maintains plants and there is the whole ordeal with when you get them: at the beginning of a night out going to different places flowers are a nuisance.
Stardust she/her 5 months ago
Same, I love flowers but I feel very sad when I see them die over time so I’d rather not be gifted them
Load More Replies... #30
Automated low cost index fund investing.
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Yrral Spavit 5 months ago
Preparing a go bag(s) and reviewing it annually. We were evacuated for a wildfire and all we had to do was pack personal bags and the car. Others were running around in a panic wondering where this that or the other needed item was.
Lee Gilliland 5 months ago
Telling people that you admire them and why always makes your life a little better. Melanie Wilkes was very underrated.
Mel in Georgia 5 months ago
Why on earth were you downvoted? To be complimented for who you are is so uplifting!
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Mel in Georgia 5 months ago
So much this! Hard to hate what you're doing when you're shaking your booty doing it!
Load More Replies... Tele Avision 5 months ago (edited)
Most of the time the photos attach are of people of color, but this time it's all white people in the photos. This seems appropriate, I have to say after reading these and I'm white, these sound like "white people problems".
Trisec Tebeakesse 5 months ago
Stay in bed all day and ignore everyone and everything. Always worked pretty good.
Kohl_Keene 5 months ago
Don’t stay in a toxic job. I stayed too long in a position I felt would get better, suffered health and emotional issues over it. I didn’t realize how bad it was until I relocated and am much happier in my new gig. You’re worth it, do everything you can to find other employment and trust your gut
Yrral Spavit 5 months ago
Preparing a go bag(s) and reviewing it annually. We were evacuated for a wildfire and all we had to do was pack personal bags and the car. Others were running around in a panic wondering where this that or the other needed item was.
Lee Gilliland 5 months ago
Telling people that you admire them and why always makes your life a little better. Melanie Wilkes was very underrated.
Mel in Georgia 5 months ago
Why on earth were you downvoted? To be complimented for who you are is so uplifting!
Load More Replies... Mel in Georgia 5 months ago
So much this! Hard to hate what you're doing when you're shaking your booty doing it!
Load More Replies... Tele Avision 5 months ago (edited)
Most of the time the photos attach are of people of color, but this time it's all white people in the photos. This seems appropriate, I have to say after reading these and I'm white, these sound like "white people problems".
Trisec Tebeakesse 5 months ago
Stay in bed all day and ignore everyone and everything. Always worked pretty good.
Kohl_Keene 5 months ago
Don’t stay in a toxic job. I stayed too long in a position I felt would get better, suffered health and emotional issues over it. I didn’t realize how bad it was until I relocated and am much happier in my new gig. You’re worth it, do everything you can to find other employment and trust your gut
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