Here are 30 Pro Tips you should know
1. Even if you are happily employed, spend 30-45 minutes job searching a few times per year.
Most people stop looking at other options once they get a job they are content with. Even if you are happy/content at your current job you may find that you are being underpaid or underutilized for your skill set.
You might find that you are more thankful for the job you do have after seeing what is out there, which will make you happier at work.
You may also find yourself needing another job sooner than expected, so it’s a good idea to know what is going on in the market and not be left feeling totally shocked and unprepared.
If you are unhappy at your job, or just stuck in a rut, seeing what else is out there might motivate you to make a much-needed change. Not all jobs are going to be “fun” but life is too short to work a job you truly dread going to.
Online job postings are everywhere. LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Craigslist, Indeed, and Monster.com are a few that come to my mind that can be browsed casually while watching Netflix, etc.
2. Don’t be the first to applaud at a classical music concert.
Musicians often take a short break between movements during which the audience watches in silence. To an inexperienced listener, it may seem as though the piece was over. Unless you know the piece being played and are confident the musicians have actually finished, don’t start clapping. It’s safer to wait for others to start and then join in.
3. How to kill bed bugs effectively and inexpensively.
Bed bugs have a reputation for being difficult to deal with, but a lot of that stems from common misinformation you will find online, and also because many products sold to kill them simply don’t work. For example, some people say to use ultrasonic pest repellents, bed bugs don’t have ears. They have also largely developed immunity to the chemicals used in sprays and foggers. In fact, the University of Rutgers Entomologist Dr. Wang, considered an expert on the topic of bed bugs, predicts 100% of bed bugs will be immune to them within 10 years.
So what actually works?
The good news is there are still a couple of methods that work very well, and the better news is that you don’t have to spend much to get them.
For the bed bugs, you can’t see, Diatomaceous Earth.
Diatomaceous Earth is inexpensive and is composed of silica. Silica will stick to bed bugs and draw moisture out of their bodies, dehydrating them to death. It also has the added benefit of transferring from one-bed bug to another on contact, meaning when they walk back to their hidey-hole, it will transfer to bed bugs that might not have needed to leave to feed for a few weeks, and kill them as well. And since it dehydrates them, they will never develop immunity to it.
And with Diatomaceous Earth, a little goes a long, long way. When applying it on their footpath, light dusting is all that is needed. Making piles of it only encourages them to find other ways of getting to where they want to be.
For the bed bugs you can see, heat.
122 degrees Fahrenheit, or 50 degrees Celsius. Once they are exposed to that temperature, they die immediately. So a simple steamer can kill all the bed bugs that have found hiding spots that are more easily accessible, such as on the mattress or in the bed frame. And like D.E., heat is also something that they will never become immune to.
These two methods of eradication aren’t going to be a single application process. The Diatomaceous Earth in this experiment had a 90% mortality rate at 10 days, so it may require a few weeks. It will also benefit greatly by being paired with a rigorous cleaning regimen, such as more frequent sheet washing in hot water, and drying on the hot setting, as well as frequent sweeping and vacuuming(and don’t forget to empty the bag immediately after). So while it will involve some work, the alternatives can be costly, which can include companies that come to your home to make the entire interior reach temperatures that kill the bed bugs and cost thousands of dollars to do so.
What is the evidence these methods work?
Youtuber Mark Rober recently made an in-depth video on some experiments, which were overseen by entomologist Dr. Wang at Rutgers University, so you can see the results yourself!
Here is the setup for the experiment. You only need to watch 2 minutes from the beginning of this link to see the entire setup, variables, controls, etc.
Here are the results of the experiment. You only need to watch 2 minutes and 12 seconds to see the entire result.
Here is how the Diatomaceous Earth and heat work to kill the bed bugs. You only need to watch one minute of this link to see how effective they are.
Here are some tips on how to prevent bringing them into your home. You only need to watch 1 minute from this point in the video to learn them all.
And finally, here is the link to the entire ~24-minute video, if you just feel like learning more about bed bugs.
4. Intrusive thoughts are a natural mechanism, often there to make sure you don’t do the thing (like cross the center line in traffic). Acknowledge the thought as intrusive, and what concern it brings up, and move on.
Parenthood has brought on a host of intrusive thoughts I would rather not have, but this is what my therapist told me.
You don’t have to engage with your intrusive thoughts, but trying to suppress or ignore them likely will not work as well as acknowledging them and moving on.
Your intrusive thoughts do not make you a bad, broken, or messed up person, and most people have them in some form or another.
5. Whatever it is you’ve been wanting to do, stop waiting for the “perfect time” to do it. A truly perfect time will never come. Unless you’ve got a legitimate reason to wait any longer, do it the next chance you get, or pick a time and stick to it.
6. If your boss or HR ever promises you something, get it in writing.
Always get promises from employers in writing. Even if it’s a follow up email after your conversation that restates everything discussed.
7. Buy 10 pairs of the same socks.
As they wear out, you can throw the socks away individually rather than as a pair. Also makes doing laundry easier.
8. The best way to handle a passive aggressive person is to address their true intent: being aggresive.
When a person is being passive aggresive they want to say something negative but try to dress it up in a such away that they won’t get called on it. If a person says, “Good job, I guess if you want to do it THAT way, ” the response should be a clear call for them to clarify themselves such as, “I get the sense that you aren’t happy with the way this was done. Can you maybe give me some ideas on how this could have been done differently?” Passive aggressives will almost always back down because they never think someone will actually break their comments apart.
9. If you are overwhelmed with tidying your home, try developing a habit of taking small steps while moving around. For example, pick up trash as you go, put some things in their places, wash some dishes, and so on.
Additionally, you can apply a simple rule to leave a place cleaner than it was before you arrived. This can help you maintain cleanliness and tidiness in your home.
10. Before buying something, ask yourself two questions – “Where will I store this thing?” and “How difficult will it be to clean this thing?”
11. Getting the job done badly is usually better than not doing it at all.
Brushing your teeth for 10 seconds is better than not brushing. Exercising for 5 minutes is better than not exercising. Handing in homework with some wrong answers is better than getting a 0 for not handing anything in. Paying off some of your credit debt reduces the interest you’ll accrue if you can’t pay it all off. Making a honey sandwich for breakfast is better than not eating. The list goes on and on. It’s better than doing nothing! And sometimes you might look back and realize you accomplished more than you thought you could.
12. Ask a person you are dating what their values are on dating/marriage, kids, religion, politics, and other non-negotiables of yours in the first few weeks. Waiting for the “right time” results in unnecessary heartbreak due to emotions being overly invested months down the road.
You will save both parties a ton of time and emotional turmoil by talking about the tough stuff right off the bat instead of just staying in the honeymoon phase as long as possible.
13. Type “docs.new” or “sheets.new” into your browser to automatically bring up a new blank Google doc or spreadsheet.
14. Never go swimming in your clothes.
An experience shared: “Saved a guy from drowning. He went swimming in the sea to retrieve an RC boat in cargo shorts and a T-shirt. It was the second time this happened to me, 2 years ago I saved a child from drowning in a river, the child was wearing denim shorts and a T-shirt, parents couldn’t swim. Both of these people were exhausted and moments away from disappearing in front of me. It’s scary swimming towards someone not knowing if you’ll be able to find them if they slip under the water before you can get there. They could not swim, or even float to save themselves because they were wearing clothes that become like heavy chains when wet. Also, should you ever need to help someone in distress, strip down to your undies and grab something that floats first, a drowning person is dangerous, and will drown you as well. Felt compelled to make a public service announcement.”
15. If you’re relatively young and the type of person who lives on stress, multi-tasking, and thrives under pressure, ease up on yourself even if you feel like you’re fine and can cope.
When you’re younger you might feel like constant stress is manageable, but as you get older that can catch up to you in unexpected ways. Like anxiety issues or physiological problems like inflammation. Once that damage is done it’s really hard to undo.
16. When feeling overwhelmed by adult responsibilities, remember that you can always hide in a blanket fort with snacks and watch cartoons. Embracing your inner child can be a humorous reminder to not take life too seriously all the time and can provide much-needed stress relief.
17. If you’re younger (late teens-20s+) don’t underestimate the value of making friends with people much older than you.
18. If you work from home, starting every day going for a walk (or run) can significantly increase your productivity and focus, and lessen any feelings of “cabin fever” you may get throughout the day.
It’s simple and “everybody knows this” but it is easier said than done. Getting into this habit can do wonders for one’s mental health.
19. Never lend money if you wouldn’t be comfortable considering it a gift. There’s always a very real chance you won’t get it back, and you need to be okay with losing that sum.
20. Find out where your pets hide when the fire alarm goes off. This could save their life. And yours.
If there is actually an emergency, you may not have time to go searching for them if there is a raging fire burning down your house. Practice fire safety by tripping the alarm and learning where they go when scared so you can grab them quickly and GET OUT if there is a real fire.
21. When a new coworker starts at your job, offer to be their go-to person in case they forget someone’s name. Starting a new job is stressful, and alleviating this small stressor is an act of kindness that goes a long way as far as making them feel welcome.
22. Use the ‘two-minute rule’ to tackle procrastination.
If you’re prone to procrastination, try using the ‘two-minute rule’ to get things done. The rule is simple: if a task takes two minutes or less to complete, do it immediately. This can include small tasks such as responding to an email, making a phone call, or putting away laundry. By tackling these small tasks right away, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and momentum to keep going. Plus, you’ll be surprised how much you can get done in just a few minutes. So, the next time you’re feeling stuck or unmotivated, try the two-minute rule and watch your productivity soar.
23. If you have a Roku device/TV, you can hide ads on the home screen by accessing the secret menu.
From the home screen, do the following:
Press the home button 5 times
Press Up, right, down, left, up
This accesses the secret settings, change these settings to hide ads:
Cycle scrollable ads: Always Disabled
Cycle home screen ad banner server: Demo 3
You can also hide other things (I.E. Kevin Hart) on your home screen by going to
Settings>Home Screen>Hide24. Single people at work are often expected to pick up the slack (with no extra remuneration) when their colleagues set good limits because they have families. It’s OK to have a life and have boundaries with your job to spend time doing things other than being with kids or a partner.
25. Use a reloadable prepaid card to pay for your gym membership. The gyms are extremely hard to cancel, and most auto-deduct your fees – this helps to minimize your financial losses.
26. A dollar store hair scrunchie on each wrist will prevent water from running down into your sleeves when you wash your face.
27. If you can afford it and have room, get a chest freezer.
The pros are endless
- Able to buy items on sale and freeze them for later, also buying in bulk
- Can meal prep and have meals ready to eat with no worry of waste
- Freeze veg scraps and veg about to go bad later to make soup stocks
- Can make a load of stock and save it
- Can load up on food when you have more money so if you hit hard times you can pretty much eat out of the freezer. Or even if you’re too lazy to go to the grocery store lol
- More room for ice cream
- More room for chicken nuggets
28. Never miss an opportunity to do someone a favor the first time. This is how you build social and professional networks proactively.
29. If guests are coming over, never cook a dish for the first time. Always stick to food you’ve cooked before so the end result doesn’t disappoint everyone involved.
30. Reverse Image search your dating app matches before making any meetup plans.
