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It's impossible to do everything you want.
For example, a majority (86%) of Brits say having more free time is important to them, but almost a quarter (23%) feel that less than 10% of their time outside of work is genuinely "free."
So it pays to save some whenever we can.
Reddit user Sharkkkk2 asked everyone on the platform to share the "cheat codes" they've found in real life, and people immediately started listing what helps them avoid stress and be more productive.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
If you’re struggling to learn a complex topic, try explaining it to a rubber duck (or an imaginary five-year-old). If you hit a spot where you can’t explain it simply, that’s exactly where your knowledge gap is. It saves hours of aimless studying.
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#2
Sleeping properly fixes more problems than motivation ever did.
#3
Treating everyone with genuine kindness tends to open more doors than any shortcut ever could.
#4
**Stop Consuming News**
If it matters, you'll find out.
Most news wraps stress in noise.
Turn it off and be well. .
#5
Walking fast while looking slightly annoyed. nobody stops you, nobody asks you for help. it’s basically an invisibility cloak.
#7
Driving slower and staying in the slow lanes. Amazing how much more relaxed I’ve become.
Ryan-James O'Driscoll 3 hours ago
I always say, travel with purpose, not with haste. The difference in time usually ends up being very small, but the difference in mood can be stark.
#8
The best way to connect with people is to show interest in their interests. People love nothing more than talking about their hobbies and passions.
#9
Consistency beats motivation.
Nota Robot 3 hours ago (edited)
Can confirm. My laziness consistently overrules the motivation to do useful stuff.
#11
Being happy about the little things in life. Soft bed, warm jacket, sunshine.
#12
Read.
people always ask what is the secret to be successful and while there's no universal answer, I've found everyone whom I see as successful, tend to be voracious readers.
reading helps you get better vocabulary, improves your grammar, improves your ability to ACTUALLY focus on something for an extended period of time, enables you to self-reflect in quiet and most importantly, opens up your views to external thoughts.
read more folks. it's good for you.
#13
If there are people, communities, websites that upset you, you don't have to interact, you can just disengage and live in peace.
#14
Well I stopped drinking and it's the best I've felt in 30 years.
Ryan-James O'Driscoll 3 hours ago
I do like a drink, but over the last year I have reduced it to occasional only and cut out routine drinking. It has made a huge difference. It's never a bad choice to cut it out entirely, of course. But reducing is still good too for most.
#15
Speak about people behind their back. But good things, you will see how it will improve your life.
#16
Being hydrated really does make a difference, so drink your water.
Zig Zag Wanderer 4 hours ago
When I drank a lot, the only thing that happened was that I peed a lot. I found absolutely no additional benefits.
#18
If you’re nervous for a talk/meeting, pause for 2 seconds before answering, you sound calmer and more confident.
#19
Treating others the way you would like to be treated is a great stress reducer. Being nice to people is never wrong.
Go to parkrun - always gives you a mental boost.
#20
You can get a whole lot more by being friendly, asking nicely, and being willing to take no for an answer than by being demanding and entitled.
#21
There's a difference between capacity and discipline.
As a person with an autoimmune disorder I've had to learn this the hard way. I thought my constant fatigue and being unable to do anything some days was a lack of discipline, but it's a lack of capacity. I was thoroughly unable to do XYZ.
As for discipline if you have the energy and know-how to do XYZ but *choose* not to, that's where it's a discipline problem rather than a capacity problem.
ETA: Capacity issues also are more common among neurodivergent people and people with executive functioning issues, but more easily misread as discipline issues.
#22
Being a decent person gets you a lot further in life than being a self centred pos
Having morals this might sound weird but if you have morals 90% of your choices are already made for you.
#23
Wait 24hrs before responding to something that could illicit an emotional response rather than a rational one.
#24
When you're upset about something, and it's not an emergency, stepping away from it for minutes, or even days, will allow you to pick the right words to be productively upset. Being able to do something useful about it should be the goal.
#25
You and your partner don’t have to share blankets on the bed. In fact… it’s probably better for your relationship to not share.
Especially when one of you likes to steal the blankets and wrap themselves up like a burrito every night at 3am…
Separate blankets is the only reason my husband is still alive, lol.
#26
I am always polite to everybody from cleaning people to CEO, does not matter whom. That's how i was educated by my parents.
The cheat code I found out accidentally , is that this "politeness" led to serving personal or cleaning personal are always having my back, serving me more, helping if I lose thing and other small thing.
#27
When your bar of soap is getting too small to use you can very easily fuse it with your new bar of soap after even just a single use. I've kept a chain going for 10+ years this way and never had any waste.
#28
Saying please and thank you. Also knowing when to shut up and just have a comfortable silence.
#29
Pay to have someone deep clean your house if you can't keep up. It's much easier to maintain an already clean home than it is to have to do the work to get it to a place where it can be maintained. This is an investment in your peace.
#30
Be kind and polite to anyone and everyone, whether you need something from them or not.
You never know when they will know someone you know, can help you out or just need to be treated kindly.
There is almost no downside.
Daisydaisy 3 hours ago
Well there can be a downside in fact. I have always been "kind and polite" which has meant my life would become full to overflowing with self-obsessed or broken people, people who were just bottomless pits of need with never ending problems, people who wanted me to just be an ear to listen to them, etc etc. I would end up resenting them and having to go to great lengths to rid myself of them. Sure, be polite and friendly, but have strong boundaries and be sparing with your kindness!
#31
Pretending you’re a sim that needs to have your “whims” fulfilled helps you actually do chores.
#32
Memorizing jokes. People, most people, love jokes. You'd be surprised at how often a good joke can change the tone of a situation.
Daisydaisy 3 hours ago
Jokes can be a bit cringey. It takes a certain sort of person to tell jokes, and they're not always the sort of person you want to spend time with! Wit and funny anecdotes and spontaneous humour are much more enjoyable
#33
Playing just the right amount of dumb gets you EVERYTHING.
Edit: also learning to actively listen is a huge bonus for social interactions. Make the other feel heard, not just nod and say "yeeah"
#34
Putting everything you don’t want to forget in your calendar as soon as you hear it sounds boring, but it’s basically real life auto save. Also if something takes under 2 minutes, just do it immediately, it kills the procrastination spiral fast.
UnclePanda 28 minutes ago
Better - the moment you type the word 'attached' in an email, stop and attach it.
#35
Firstly, if you have a strong network of peers at a large corporate job, the move is to start networking with their bosses. Secondly, we often escalate frustrations when things arent going the way we want to (ccing the boss, so forth) -- but when something goes right, escalate that praise too. Compliment someone for a job well done to their boss. .
#36
A good vocabulary and grammar elevates your presence and, eventually, your standing in life.
#37
Whatever way someone treats you is most likely the way they themselves want to be treated.
If someone compliments you in a certain way, they think that compliment matters a lot and would probably like getting similar things back.
It also works wonders if you ever need to cheer someone up or if you need to be there for them for whatever reason. Just think back about how they treated you and do that to them. It has worked wonders!
Jan Rosier 1 hour ago
So, if someone treat you like c**p or takes advantage of your willingness to help, then porbably they will want to be treated like c**p or taken advantage of? Good to remember for my next interaction with a s****y boss.
#38
Using the app timer in your phone. Lets you stay in control of your social media usage and you can find time to do a bunch of other stuff.
#40
Not sure if its considered a cheat code but it saves a lot of wasted time and pain, if someone shows you even the tiniest bit of disrespect leave. It doesn't matter how much you love them/care about them, if they don't respect you now they never will. Yeah it hurts, but more than self betrayal on top of not being respected? Nah.
#42
If you want someone to agree with you or be more open to your idea, nod slightly while you’re explaining it. It’s a subtle psychological cue that makes the other person mimic your body language and start nodding back.
#43
Cats are better than any alarm clock or phone alert. If you need to wake up, take medication, etc at a certain hour, start a routine of feeding your cats at that time every day. They'll never let you forget or hit snooze.
#45
Maybe this is only helpful because I’m ADHD but, buy an additional small version of every day items to have on hand. I have a small deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, and stuff like a small bag of coffee and little creamers, shelf stable milk, etc for backup. So when I inevitably run out of something important because I didn’t realize it was low or forgot to buy it I have an extra to use and don’t have to make a last-minute run to the store. It’s saved me so many shopping trips since I started doing this.
#46
We have the strength and capability to get out of situations that we put ourselves in, even if it seems impossible at the time.
#47
If you’re not good in conversation, just try the Ping Pong Conversation technique.
Basically just build up on the what the other person has said. Ask questions and develop/disagree on that. Makes conversations effortless, and the other person feels heard.
Its a disaster technique to use when both you and the other person are introverted.
#48
When you need to handle something really important drop what you are doing and do it now.
#49
Do your tasks right away. Don't wait for anything. This is the most effective cheat code in my opinion.
#50
That running is a free therapy, it gives you space to think, breathe, and let your thoughts sort themselves out. By the end, you might not have solved your problems but your’e too tired to overthink them anymore. Sometimes it feels good living your room and going out for a run.
What do you think ?
Zig Zag Wanderer 4 hours ago (edited)
When you have a good friend, or even a vague friend sometimes, if they need help, drop everything immediately and do it (assuming it's possible, obviously). These friends will come to respect and like you more, and do the same for you. I dropped everything and drove 30 minutes to help a mate start his car, because he always did the same for me. When he expressed surprise, I told him I'd learned it from him. Honestly, he's sometimes a bit of a jerk, but I can rely on him 110% if I'm ever needing some help. Be that friend.
Zig Zag Wanderer 4 hours ago (edited)
When you have a good friend, or even a vague friend sometimes, if they need help, drop everything immediately and do it (assuming it's possible, obviously). These friends will come to respect and like you more, and do the same for you. I dropped everything and drove 30 minutes to help a mate start his car, because he always did the same for me. When he expressed surprise, I told him I'd learned it from him. Honestly, he's sometimes a bit of a jerk, but I can rely on him 110% if I'm ever needing some help. Be that friend.
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