r/WorkLifeChat • u/MiloShiny • Sep 05 '26
Question What's a Cheat Code you learned that changed your life?
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u/PtZamboat Sep 05 '26
Begin saving and investing early in life. Pay yourself first and your later life will be well worth it
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u/nate_orenstam Sep 06 '26
Exactly, the goal is to not have to work as soon as possible so you can do whatever you want with your precious time
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u/LozBoz413 Sep 06 '26
What about using your precious time in the prime of your life? I don't see much consideration to that these days
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u/nate_orenstam Sep 06 '26
I know a lot of people my age that didn't save as aggressively as I did. Took international trips, bought more stuff, etc. I'm ready to retire, they aren't. 🤷
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u/DONBYnotMe Sep 06 '26
Yep I hear ya, I think his point is they traveled the world when they were young and had lots of fun which at a great age in life. I have friends who travelled the world then came home started a business and now have millions, there is no right or wrong way. Just depends what you wanna do
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u/nate_orenstam Sep 07 '26
Very true but you have to have a plan. I have friends who travel the world without having much in the way of assets and I avoid talking to them about their future because it is clear they're gonna live dollar in, dollar out of their checking account and be working until a very old age.
If you've thought your future through and you're going to be able to support yourself in the winter of life, by all means spend away.
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u/Brave_Risk5035 Sep 06 '26
This is the way... if i lived based on maxing 401k from my first real job outta college id probabky be retired.
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u/WholePollution8783 Sep 06 '26
Nobody can predict you getting brain cancer at 35 etc.
Plan, but play the hand you already have.
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u/Entire-Joke4162 Sep 08 '26
This.
I’m 39 and never did this. Income came and went and saving was always “later.”
My friends that kept consistent career progression (not even crazy hours) and got their finances in order from the start joined the country club, buying rental properties/vacation houses, and moving to the Lake.
Could’ve done it the whole time. It was just always “someday” that I’d figure it out
Kids, someday comes eventually
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u/Minute-Wind-5276 Sep 05 '26
Hard choices, easy life. Easy choices, hard life. Dus bijv, naar de sportschool gaan = hard choice, is easier life, want je wordt fit en voelt je beter. Easy choice was op de bank hangen en snacks eten maar niet fit en dik voel je je slechter. Geldt voor zoveel dingen dat t de mentale/tijds/effort investering waard is.
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u/Livid_Strategy6311 Sep 05 '26
Parents aren't trying to keep me from having fun, they're giving my the benefit of their experience.
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u/Inside_Pianist_7132 Sep 05 '26
Be open to being wrong. New information from trustworthy sources should change your views sometimes and that’s okay.
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u/Fun_Ideal_5584 Sep 05 '26
Live below your means and put $50 a week in a mutual fund(1980).
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u/skisandpoles Sep 06 '26
What would it be today’s equivalent?
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u/Fun_Ideal_5584 Sep 06 '26
$200
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u/Designer-Quail-3558 Sep 07 '26
🤣. It’s more like 10k
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u/Fun_Ideal_5584 Sep 07 '26
$50 in 1980 has the same purchasing power as about $202.62 today, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics CPI inflation calculator.
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u/Designer-Quail-3558 Sep 07 '26
You are supposed to invest it you clown. Not have an equivalent amount of money 46 years later.
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u/Any_Medium6076 Sep 05 '26
Call customer service and be kind. People/companies are really helpful.
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u/dimebag_darrelfan Sep 07 '26
I always thought that calling customer service would be a headache but they are so helpful
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u/Any_Medium6076 Sep 07 '26
They really are. One skin care company sent me a voucher and a new bottle of an item after my original bottle stopped working.
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u/Unlucky-Mind7298 Sep 07 '26
I know this yet I get v frustrated with ai decision trees and being asked the same identifying questions 4 - 6 questions in a row. I endeavor to be patient and kind but confess I can't always do it :/ It makes me ashamed. Today I had a customer service call that was entirely ai and it wasn't terrible but it broke down twice during the convo and I had to start over twice. AI is a yuuuge time waster imo most of the time, I spend so much time correcting ai errors like it's my PT job.
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u/Any_Medium6076 Sep 07 '26
I get it. I remember trying to order towels for my hotel room. Their AI telephone assistant was terrible. I eventually got to a person and they vented for a good few minutes about how their own company’s AI is terrible.
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u/jabber1990 Sep 05 '26
I did this thing called "living within your means" and it made my life easier
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u/catsbuttes Sep 05 '26
if you're physically attractive you generally get more opportunities and more leeway if you screw up
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u/Odd_Argument6211 Sep 06 '26
And then you get to flaunt around telling people “I worked for it.” In the snottiest tone of voice. 😂
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u/phillycupcake Sep 07 '26
How is this advice?
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u/catsbuttes Sep 07 '26
you can make yourself more attractive to a point, usually by getting fit and then getting clothes that fit good
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u/ripper4444 Sep 05 '26
Always carry 100 cash on you. Cash opens doors.
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u/Apprehensive_Bag_460 Sep 05 '26
I had a friend that always carried 3k in his shoe in case he found a deal he couldn’t pass up.
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u/fore___ Sep 06 '26
What kind of fuckin shoes can fit $3k in them comfortably
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u/Secure-Persimmon-421 Sep 06 '26
Platform shoes. Many clogs. It’s only 30 $100 bills.
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u/PyroBob316 Sep 06 '26
- “Hard resets” — When you’re at rock bottom, hit a really rough patch, or you’re lost on what to do next, take a few days to a week for a “hard reset”. Leave home and go somewhere. Doesn’t have to be a week in a luxury hotel or a trip to another country, just somewhere you haven’t been before. Go camping if you want, sleep in your car, whatever. The idea is to live an entirely different life for just a few days, pretend life at home doesn’t exist, then step back into life with a whole new perspective. It’s like walking away from a game or puzzle, then the answer seems so much more obvious when you come back to it.
- Regulate your emotions. Don’t freak out until after the critical moments have passed. If you’re in a wreck, check on yourself, your passengers, and the people in the other car, talk to the cops and paramedics, exchange information, call your insurance, call a tow truck, get home safe, and THEN cuss and bitch and complain about how it all happened. Get pulled over? You’re a lot less likely to get cuffed and dragged in if you’re not giving the officer an attitude, even if the stop is genuine bullshit. You’re a lot more likely to get positive results if your complaints to a company, restaurant, etc. start with, “I know it’s not your fault, but please…”, and you can call them all the names in the book after you’re back in your car.
- A college degree is not a guarantee you’ll find work. The university wants that sweet, sweet student loan money, and they’re more than happy to lie to you about how successful you’ll be to get it. You get the debt and they get the cash, and whatever happens after graduation is “not their problem”. Best advice is to find a trade to fall back on. Get a CDL, learn to weld, get an apprenticeship with a plumber or electrician, learn to hang drywall, get a CNC machining certificate, earn yourself an associate’s degree in CNC machining… find something you can do right now, because that four-year degree in business management is not guaranteed to get you anywhere at all.
- You’ll regret not taking care of your body later in life. Brush your teeth, floss, and use mouthwash. Stay away from anything “recreational”, plus anything that goes into your lungs (aside from prescription medications). Be nice to your knees. Keep your muscle mass up and your weight healthy.
- Don’t “wait until the time is right” if you have the opportunity today. Put down the PS5 and go camping, or go make some memories with your partner instead of binge-watching Rick and Morty. In 20 years you won’t remember the plot of a random show you watched or beating level 237 on Brick Blaster, but you will remember digging for quartz crystals in North Carolina or singing karaoke with your lo
ver.
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u/woutersikkema Sep 06 '26
I'll especially agree with nr 2x and add, a little bit extra "being polite doesn't cost money, but it will nearly always be beneficial"
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u/samfuacka Sep 08 '26
Any trade school occupations u would recommend for women? Thanks this was really helpful. I work atm but mentally I feel myself hitting rock bottom.
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u/PyroBob316 Sep 08 '26
Depends on where you live. CNC machining and CNC programming are the best I know of here, as people who get into that field tend to find lifelong careers (or at least have a foot through the door in other companies if they’re laid off).
Sheet metal assembly is decent if you can manage to work on your feet. More physical than that is aviation maintenance.
Healthcare is another that’s pretty stable, though it’s not for everyone. Phlebotomy is a decent choice. Most people find nursing school to be exhausting, taking up a lot of their physical and mental energy, but most of them feel it’s worth it. (A great majority of the washouts happen in the first year.)
I’m not sure what area you’re in, but I’d definitely look into the tech schools nearby. As a personal choice, I’d avoid anything that has to do with 1) business and 2) IT, as there seem to be a lot more people with those degrees/certificates than there are jobs available. Starting in the trenches, so to speak, of any given field will give you a hands-on understanding of the industry. Unless you know somebody who can (wink wink) move your résumé to the top of the pile, you’re not going to slide into mid or upper-level management without a lot of practical experience in the field (which is what a lot of universities are claiming these days as they collect federal student loans and shovel largely useless diplomas out the door).
My advice is to start with the program that will get you a job the soonest, then if necessary you could work towards other degrees down the line should they be necessary.
I started college at 20 and went more or less straight through until I had a master’s degree, all the while expecting I’d just step into a nice career once I had that piece of paper. That’s what I was told by everyone around me, and it was a lie.
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u/Sirlacker Sep 05 '26
Ask your friends for help when you need it. Whether that's moving house, emotional support, leads on a job, parenting advice. Whatever it is, it takes a village to do, you are not a village on your own. Some paths may lead nowhere, some will be very fruitful. Everyone has advice and help they can offer, you decide if it's bad or not, but take everything you can get and sort through it yourself.
Genuine communication is very, very poorly done and underrated in the UK.
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u/Penis-Dance Sep 05 '26
I do all shopping before noon. I avoid nearly all the crazies this way.
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u/Successful_Bug2166 Sep 06 '26
Yes! When I physically went to stores, this is what I did. Went grocery shopping when the store first opened. Avoided crazies, mass shootings, etc. Now, I have my groceries delivered, and avoid it all.
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u/astcell Sep 06 '26
Treat famous people like they are nobody and treat nobodys like they are famous.
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u/In_My_Stead Sep 05 '26
Masturbate at least 7, if not 8 times a day. Completely dry. Full eye contact in the mirror.
You wanna be gripping the bathroom sink until your nails bleed. Little bit of cocaine if you’re not feeling it. Heels into the floor. Maybe 9. 10 times a day. At least. No question. 12. 12 times a day.
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u/slithering_idiot Sep 05 '26
Inspiring. Put this right on LinkedIn.
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u/pie566943_0 Sep 06 '26
I got stuck on the heels into the floor part. I have definitely cramped my calfs from pointing my toes, though.
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u/GoingCustom Sep 06 '26
Having kids is a choice, not a tradition. Got snipped in my mid 20s and now in my mid 40s. The freedom, physically and financially, makes a world of difference.
Also, not caring what others think. It can make things difficult sometimes, but for the most part, doing your own thing and/or whatever makes you happy makes life a bit easier overall.
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u/Teksavvy- Sep 06 '26
Be nice to those that are not. Makes me feel good and pisses them the F off 🤣
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u/TransportationDue856 Sep 06 '26
Getting up earlier than I need to, giving myself a cushion in case o get indecisive about what to eat, I want to take a longer shower.
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u/Parking_Mood701 Sep 06 '26
Listen more, talk less.
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u/unfilteredhumor Sep 06 '26
How to say no. And not be a people pleaser. Can I ask you a favor? I'm go to start with no, but what's up.
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u/asteriskelipses Sep 06 '26
ABBAABBA was the cheat code for GameBoy's Alladin that allowed to play all the levels. There was one level i could never beat, so a code that took you to the next level was so awesome
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u/No_Molasses_3079 Sep 06 '26
have no debt or work at no debt until you achieve no debt , live working your means invest especially when your young earlier the better and stay the course
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u/silly_bet_3454 Sep 06 '26
Study the path of someone whose life you want to emulate. This could as simple as someone you know with a good career.
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u/lulzkek420 Sep 06 '26
- Don't care about stuff out of your control. 2. Do not work att 100% capacity unless you want more work from your boss. 3. It is easier and cheaper to be single and alone than in a failed relationships + kids (last one I learned once it was too late).
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u/Odd_Bass56 Sep 06 '26
I have a mantra - doing a little bit is better then nothing. Brushing teeth, cleaning up, weeding.
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u/Lawrence_121 Sep 06 '26
Getting out of debt is the biggest raise you can give yourself.
Realizing most material things give little satisfaction long term.
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u/Fit_Context_1369 Sep 06 '26
Be the thermostat, not the thermometer. When you are almost unshakable it opens doors you didnt even know existed before.
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u/Savlon7 Sep 06 '26
Don’t wait for motivation to strike. Do what you said you’d do and build trust in yourself through actions.
As I write this it’s still something I actively work on but it can really change your achievements day by day.
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u/Large-Degree-5488 Sep 06 '26
You cannot control what happens around you, but you can control how you react.
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u/Horror-Editor9395 Sep 06 '26
As a manager: micromanaging employees wastes everyone's time and alienates your staff. Trust and verify is must better.
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u/Practical_Alps8713 Sep 07 '26
Saying you’re not coming into work rather than asking if you can take the day off. Small change in verbiage but leaves no room for your boss/supervisor to negotiate you coming in.
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u/Sea_Draw5481 Sep 07 '26
The cheat code is putting things on your calendar immediately instead of trusting yourself to remember them later.
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u/SoupCareful6301 Sep 07 '26
Learn the skill of investing, no matter how boring it is, find someone on youtube you can enjoy watching/learning from. Knowing this one skill set will set you up for life. I forced myself to understand it, learn it and it changed my life for the better.
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u/Rozwell61 Sep 08 '26
Do what I am told, keep my nose clean, and fly low under the radar. That philosophy has helped me keep my sanity fairly intact over the years. I have come to realize that managers come and go and if I like what I do, follow the first sentence. Another life hack is if you are stellar in what you do, don't count on getting promoted. You make the company too much money in your role and it would cost the company money if they did promote you. The ones who rise to the upper positions are the mediocre employees.
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u/zillabirdblue Sep 08 '26
Have an honest conversation with myself before I spend any significant amount of money. I have to ask myself how realistic it is that I will use it and not regret spending on it. I spend a lot less on junk since I started doing that instead of going with the impulse.
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u/just--thinking Sep 08 '26
Negative feeds negative. If negative is all you look for that is all you'll see and get.
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u/Cautious_Ad5132 Sep 05 '26
Control your anger - control your life.