Here are this week’s Life Pro Tips.
01. Pomodoro Technique
Use the Pomodoro Technique to be more productive. Work for 25 minutes, then a 5 minute break. After repeating 4 times, take a longer 30 minute break. It does wonders for productivity. I think the reason it works is because at the beginning of the 25 minute section, you think to yourself “it’s only 25 minutes. Can’t be that bad.” Before you know it, you’ll be halfway through your task. The 5 minute breaks keep you refreshed and before you know it, you’ll be done with your task.
02. When backing up a trailer…
Steer with the bottom of the steering wheel. The direction you turn it is the direction the trailer will move.
On top of this, remember: If you start snaking the trailer, just pull forward and start again. This is much easier than trying to correct.
03. How to get the best spices
Spices can mean the difference between a mediocre cheap meal and a delicious cheap meal. So shop for spices in your grocery store’s international aisle. If you can, find an Asian (specifically Indian) or Hispanic grocery store. Not only are the spices cheaper, they are also way stronger. Indian stores are incredible for spices in bulk, you just have to get containers for them. You might also find other cool items too.
04. Reflective appreciation
Showing someone ‘reflective appreciation’ for something they did for you earlier that day means more them than it did when you said ‘thank you’ as it happened.
E.g. If a friend gives you a ride home, I am sure you say ‘thank you’ as you leave the car. Before you go to bed that night send them a message telling them how much you appreciate what they did and how thankful you were for it.
05. How to take an awesome selfie
Step 1 – Watch this video.
Step 2 – Grab a friend and your phone and find some good lighting.
The biggest issue I have with modern day selfies or pictures is that they’re all in color, yet no one knows how to pay attention to light temperature. Light has different shades, from red to blue to yellow, even green. Our brains are just so good at adjusting to those shades we rarely notice! Cameras, not so much. When light sources from different temp lights like tungsten or daylight mix they can create sickly or oddly colored tones on skin, which is simply exaggerated by the poor cameras and color science in modern day phones.
Try to find a space in your house with a good source of light, a window will work just fine. Turn the rest of your lights off. Use a thin sheet or white shade if the light is too strong, you don’t want to blow out the image (too much light) or create super intense contrast (deep deep shadows, you floating in the dark). Angle the light source 30° from your nose- you should get a good exposure and pleasant shadows which accentuate your nose and jaw line, as well as a nice eye light (the light source reflected in your eyes at an angle without covering your pupils). Google ‘classical portrait lighting’ for a better example.
Enjoy your epic and newfound selfie/photography skills and be the change you want to see in the online dating world.
The only issue I have with number 5 is that these are rules that apply to photography generally. Rules about mixed light sources (for instance) don’t just apply when the camera is facing the user.
There’s no such thing as an awesome selfie.