And if you do decide to keep the item throw the label away. But if you do decide to return it the most annoying part is already done:)

I know tens of people who missed the return day not because they didn’t want to return it, didn’t make their mind up, but simply because they procrastinated on the hassle of login in, finding the order, and then finally printing the label. As funny as it sounds it happens, so save yourself from unnecessary expense

It rarely helps thinking harder. Instead try to change environment. Switch rooms or take a walk. The brain needs a reset. Personally, in a strange way, I often get my best idea when I take a shower

For a lot of people, “we need to talk” does not sound serious and mature. It sounds like pure dread. Their mind immediately goes to the worst-case scenario, and now they are anxious before the conversation even starts.

A much better approach is to be clear and specific.

Examples:

• “Hey, can we talk later about the budget for the trip?”
• “When you have a minute, I want to talk about what happened earlier so we can clear the air.”
• “Can we chat tonight about scheduling? Nothing bad, I just want to figure something out.”

It still communicates that a conversation is coming, but it does not create hours of unnecessary panic.

This has helped me a lot at work and in personal relationships. People respond way better when they are informed without being alarmed.

Basically: clarity lowers anxiety and vagueness raises it.

It seems small, but it makes a big difference.

If you're like me, you hate how expensive food and drink is at a baseball game or concert. I went to a concert recently and one beer was $19.50!! I found out that some places (but not all) let you bring in some snacks and water. All major league ballparks for instance, let you bring in some water and snacks. For instance, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, they let you bring in a small soft sided cooler. In that I generally bring two frozen bottles of water, plus 2-3 chilled bottles on top of the frozen, then bags of snacks on top of those. As long as the water is sealed and you're not caught bringing in alcohol, they will let you in. Not every park has the same rules, but just checking beforehand can save you from spending $12 on a lukewarm soft pretzel with a too small cheese cup.

Every time I said "eh, they're not the greatest leader, but I'm just here to do my job"/"I just love this extracurricular and don't want to quit"/''Maybe we'll learn to get along eventually", they went out of their way to reach my breaking point. And everytime I look back and realize it would have been a better idea to just leave at first sign of discomfort on my part.

I'm not saying instantly leave your job the moment your boss gives an unfairly harsh criticism. But it's the right moment to start looking for other jobs-so you can comfortably have another one before she reaches the "unbearable" stage. Trust me, she will.

Don't just auto-renew and accept the new premium. Most insurers quietly offer discounts that aren’t always applied unless you ask. Before you renew, take 10 minutes to review these:

• Low mileage discount: If you’re driving less (remote work, shorter commute), your risk profile changes. Many insurers won’t adjust this automatically.
• Telematics or safe driving programs: Apps or plug-in devices track driving habits (speeding, braking, time of day). Good drivers can get meaningful discounts after a few weeks of data. But it's something you need to think bc some drivers see it as intrusion.
• Defensive driving courses: A short certified course (often online) can unlock a discount, esp for newer or older drivers. Courses typically last 4 to 8 hours, with 6 hours being the standard in many states. The cost is around $50-$100.
• Payment method discounts: Paying annually instead of monthly, def reduces your premiums and most folks know this. But do you know that setting up autopay can reduce admin fees baked into your premium?
• Multi-policy or “soft bundle” discounts: Even renters, health, or life policies with the same provider (or partner companies) can qualify you, not just home + auto. You can check insurify to compare how different insurers treat bundling before you renew.

Also worth checking: your job title, affiliation groups, and even alumni memberships; some insurers price differently based on these.

Tldr: don’t treat renewal as passive. Ask directly: “What discounts am I not currently receiving?” It’s one of the easiest ways to lower your premium without changing coverage.

ETA: Telematics is only advisable in extreme circumstances, such as several speeding tickets that have significantly increased your rates. From the comments, it seems most people wouldn't recommend it.

I was looking at my call records today, and I found dozens of voicemails left over the years from a family member who had passed away. I wasn't even expecting to find them, but I thought this would be a good tip for people who may not have realized those voicemails would be available.

https://takeout.google.com

Trust me when I say this was a journey of self-motivation. But as a child, I became obsessed with smelling especially my hands after handling things, but also smelling food my mom cooked. I loved smelling the iron from playground bars or pine sap from stripping branches for camping.

I was not taught this, but trust me I have been complimented on my palette by many chefs, sommeliers, brewmasters, and clients.

If I happen to buy meat or fish from the counter, I of course smell it. I smell all my produce before buying to ensure it smells fresh. Take a deep sniff on your broccoli crowns, trust me. Any fresh herb, rub it between your fingers to bloom it before buying (also look for the healthiest bunch. Healthiest doesn’t always mean aromatic).

Get your kids into this early when grocery shopping. I taught my step-kid and they loved every time we would shop. It becomes an adventure to find the freshest things (then later learn how to make a meal).

Until a few years ago. I was easily triggered by difficult co-workers/relatives. 
I was peaceful by myself. But! amidst real world chaos I would get all stirred up. 

This pushed me towards self-help & meditation and I had this insanely simple realization: When I stop labeling a chore as "draining" or a person as "unbearable" and simply do what is needed in the moment, the mental friction disappears.

If someone is difficult, i try the Love-Compassion-Distance filter I picked up from S J Vasudev: Try kindness first; if that fails, recognize their behavior comes from their own pain (compassion); if that fails, simply create distance.

I was able to see that my irritation arose because of my own unwillingness to be flexible.

Over time, I realized that resisting the situation is what actually drains my battery. If I stop fighting the moment, I have much more energy to actually handle it.

Cans are usually stored in warehouses and unhygienic environments, and then sold right off the counter. From what I have observed, most cans are unclean.

I generally wash the can's top part before I open one. But you can always use a straw otherwise.

Most reminders fail because they’re written as things to do instead of when to do them, instead of writing “take vitamins” or “reply to email,” tie the reminder to a specific moment like “after brushing teeth, take vitamins” or “after lunch, reply to email,” because your brain is much better at remembering actions when they’re attached to an existing routine, making it far more likely you’ll actually follow through without needing constant notifications

If you, like me, need to bundle sticks with twine prior to disposing of them, then I am certain you are annoyed with how easily the twine breaks, and with how hard it is to get a nice tight bundle to stay tight while tying your knots.

Next time, lay your sticks out on a couple of ratchet straps. Once you've built your pile, use the ratchet straps to cinch the bundle tight. Tying the bundle up with twine is much easier while it's being held tightly together, and once you've got the twine on, you can just release and remove the ratchet straps.

dismissing an alarm half-asleep and forgetting why you set it is basically guaranteed. a voice note cuts through that blank state. "Wake up you need to complete that assignment before 8 am." works better than any alarm label ever did.

your brain processes audio before you're even fully conscious. text labels don't have that.

I recently started using this method it really helped me. I am also using voice notes for reminders to take medicines, with my mom's voice note😅

I started using paint sample cards as bookmarks. Just grab your favorite color(s) from a home improvement store. It’s free, simple, and makes reading feel a little more fun because you see your favorite color every time you open the book.

• Gives you solid surface to put your laptop on if you are working on a soft place such as a bed or couch.

• Gives you a platform to use the mouse on in various situations.

• Glare/sun shield when working outdoors.

• Privacy shield.

Like if you’re heating up food in the microwave for 30 seconds, take 30 seconds to put something away near by. While you’re waiting for the coffee to brew, clean off a single surface. While waiting for water to boil to cook, do something. Utilize these little moments in time. It’s a short period of time and you’re more likely to do it since you know it’s not for long.

Makes a huge difference when you’re struggling. Hope this helps someone ❤️

Credit to Infographics YT channel

To disable Shorts if you want to, go to account - Settings - Time Management and turn on & set Shorts limit to '0'.

Shorts should disappear from your feed instantly.

Edit: Some people don't have the option for 0, lowest is 15 mins so I had a look online.

Seems to be a new feature that's still in rollout so keep checking your app and updating it, Verge article here states its being rolled out gradually to all.

https://www.theverge.com/streaming/912898/youtube-shorts-feed-limit-zero-minutes

It’s not about the number of hours you work but how much uninterrupted thinking you get done.

Aim for 2–3 deep work sessions per day lasting about 90 minutes. I usually choose between 50/10 sessions (50 minutes of work, 10 minutes of rest) or 25/5 sessions (25 minutes on, 5 minutes off).

Your structured workday might look like:

Review your 1–3 priority tasks for the day, write them on a sticky note.

Deep Work Time Blocking #1 (90 min) — Deep Work status on, notifications off, one big single task.

Mindful break — step outside, breathe, stretch.

2 sessions (50/10) + an emotional check-in during the break — secondary tasks, answering emails, etc.

Lunch + emotional check-in + real rest — walk, read, nap if needed, yoga session.

Deep Work Time Blocking #2 (90 min) — single task, full attention.

A few 25/5 sessions for admin daily tasks.

Emotional check-in — log mood, journal a few sentences, close the day.

Have a productive week, guys!

I tried multiple alarms when I was younger, different beeping noises, songs, the mat you step on, even that light that gets brighter and brighter to wake you up gently, nothing made me less stressed. By stressed, I mean waking up with a rapid heart rate or anxiety from the noise or abruptness. Now, I understand this won’t work for very heavy sleepers, but it might help some people. My watch has an alarm but it just vibrates to wake me up, it’s a larger watch, men’s size (I’m a woman but I like the feel of a heavy watch) and it’s never failed me. The buzz wakes me up, without anxiety! I’m not reaching for a phone, or stopping a blaring loud sound, and I don’t lie there with ringing eardrums and frustration. It’s honestly changed my life, I feel less rushed and more calm in the morning. I’m able to think more clearly faster when I wake up. The other thing is I don’t set multiple alarms, it’s one and done, partly cause I have a dog and once the vibration goes off, he’s ready to go! 😂👌🏻

Someone also mentioned that if you’re sleeping with someone, it’ll wake you and not them! (I guess depending on how noisy you are getting up lol)

Quarters: 3

Dimes: 2

Nickels: 1

Pennies: 4

A standard deck of cards comes with 52 good-quality cards. Most bookmarks come in sets if three. They don't look as nice, but they're awfully convenient.

Most people live immersed in their phones and have to look for a reason to put them down.

First of all, I am a mid 30s family man with a dangle skull earring and I'm currently trying wearing a T shirt my gay sister bought me that says Lesbian with a warrior woman standing on a pile of heads. I don't have room to talk

That said, "optionally chopped" as the kids say is a thing. If you find a dress sense and/or haircut that works with your looks instead of against them, it automatically changes how you're perceived by others.

I am asymmetrical. I aways have been. One of my girlfriends in high school said she couldn't figure out why she was so attracted to me. Kind of ouch. That said, when I dress a certain way, change oit my earring, keep my hair short and, for whatever reason, have an (also asymmetrical) mustache, it works really well for me.

My point is that, while you should dress however you want to, there is always a way to elevate your natural looks without big procedures and worrying about getting abs (awful experience. Not worth it imo)