Here is this week’s LPT.
01. Make your sandpaper last ten times longer by putting duct tape on the back
Most of the time sandpaper wears out or tears after only a bit of use, so duct taping on the back makes it last forever, almost.
02. Use a king size comforter on a queen size bed
Use a king size comforter on a queen size bed and never fight over cover again. Go up a size on any comforter. If you have a king sized bed, super King duvets are a thing. Be prepared to pay for it though.
03. When one smoke detector starts chirping change the batteries in all of them
When one smoke detector starts chirping change the batteries in all of them. That way you only play the “find the chirping before I go insane” game once. There’s nothing you can do to stop the inevitable 3 AM smoke detector chirp, but this will keep you from doing the crazy dance from room to room trying to find exactly which one it is.
04. Whenever you’re taping a box…
Whenever you’re taping a box, or packing something away that you need to easily open later, fold one end of the tape on to itself. This way you can easily pull the tape back off without scraping at it with your nails/fingertips. You can fold the corner of the tape or the whole end of a single side.
05. If you live in a shady area or city, consider carrying around a “decoy wallet”
If you live in a shady area or city, consider carrying around a “decoy wallet” with a few dollars of cash, some business cards and a fake I.D. in case you ever get mugged or robbed. Odds are they’ll just take it and leave.
06. Let the future you, make the decisions for you
Most of us are striving to be better. We want to be healthier, more in shape, better looking, smarter, etc. Train your brain to let the future you make my decisions for you. That way, the decisions you make represent who you want to be, and not who you are now. This method of thinking will make you the person you want to be. Example, when you feel like smoking a cigarette, think do you want to be a smoker in the future?
07. When you get unwanted calls…
When you get unwanted calls, save them as a contact under the name Spam1, Spam2, Spam 3 etc… That way you don’t have to keep answering the phone every time.
08. You can memorize long lists, forward and backward, and still recall them months later
You can memorize long lists, forward and backward, and still recall them months later with the “Locus” method. We forget simply because we didn’t consciously make an effort to remember. Memories last longer and are strengthened by an intentional effort. A stronger memory is one that includes the most of your senses. If you can include how something looks, sounds, smells, feels, or tastes into the memory, it will last longer. With the “Locus” technique, you choose a location you are familiar with, usually your house or apartment, something you can visually walk through in your mind, room by room, in a certain pattern. Once you’ve chosen your location, you need a list. Let’s use a sample list to practice memorizing.
1. Amethyst
2. Ostrich
3. Viking
4. Banana
5. Paperclip
6. Dartboard
7. Ice Skates
8. Eagle
9. Chopsticks
10. Stick of Butter
11. Elvis
12. Feather
13. Aspirin
14. Go Kart
15. Saturn
16. 4-Leaf Clover
17. Shark
18. Tambourine
Now, instead of repeating these items over and over as we usually do to memorize, you’ll want to place them in your location. Involve as many senses as you can. Exaggerate shapes and situations, really make those items stand out in your head. Now, as you navigate through your location, go down the list and place an item in a memorable way. Maybe you start at the door to your house/apartment. Place a giant massive purple amethyst here, blocking your way. You have to push it out to move onto your next room. Try combining two or more items to make better use of your space. In the first room you come too, you see an ostrich sitting in a chair like a human reading the paper with a monocle, while a tiny viking dressed in a suit made of bananas rides on top of his head, screaming for Valhalla. There’s your next 3 items. Do this in any way you like as you make your way through your location, room by room, placing items on your list in memorable ways. Remember to exaggerate them and use your imagination to strengthen the memory. When you get half way down the list, stop, and go back to the beginning of your location and see if you can remember the first half of the list by walking through your location so far. If you can, proceed through the rest of the list. Once you’ve finished, see if you can recall all the items on the list from memory by walking through your location and recalling the items within. Try going backwards through your location too. If you are having trouble remembering some, try a more creative way to place them in your location. You’ll be able to recall the items weeks, months, even years from now.
09. Stick a stuffed animal in the back window of your car.
Stick a stuffed animal in the back window of your car. It’s been proven that thieves are less likely to steal because of the psychological effect of having a pair of eyes on them, real or not.
10. Successful people keep their word
Successful people keep their word. If you tell someone you will call them or meet them at a certain time, make sure you Do It, exactly when you said you would. Being a man (or woman) of your word is perhaps the most important thing you can ever do. Flaky people who are always late, make excuses or just forgetful are the ones who get passed over in life.
I also use the spam 1, spam 2 stuff. But in my case, its Idiot 1, Idiot 2…