35 Tiny Things for an Easier Life
Life is already complicated. Here's a collection of small upgrades that add up.
I am always surprised when I mention Wirecutter – a website I use to research virtually every purchase— and people have never heard of it.
What is obvious to you is amazing to someone else.
The problem is the cognitive trap called the “curse of knowledge”. We believe ideas aren’t worth sharing because people already know them.
With that in mind, I’d like to share a laundry list of 35 tiny things that make my life easier and better. I hope you'll find a few exciting, novel ideas to try.
I’ve broken them into five sections: Home & Living, Social Intelligence, Technology, Productivity/Habits, and Finance.
Home & Living
1. Ditch your wallet
Most people don’t need a standalone wallet anymore. Get a phone wallet case. Slip in your ID, a credit card, and $20. Most merchants take Apple/Google Pay. Having one less thing to remember to carry is a game changer.
2. Have a spot for your EDC (everyday carry)
A catch-all tray for everything from your pockets when you get home. This will avoid the pain of looking for things when you're running late.
3. Purchase an AirTag or NFC tag
Place them on keys, bikes, or luggage. They cost very little ($20) and proactively send an alert when an item is left behind.
4. Take photos of your most expensive valuables.
If anything does get stolen, you have a record. My bicycle was stolen recently. Photo evidence is crucial for insurance claims, especially if it's a hand-me-down or you've lost the receipt.
5. Get a laundry basket with a divider.
Any time you toss dirty clothes in, you automatically sort lights and darks so laundry day is easier.
6. Use cold water & less detergent
Mom was wrong. Cold water does the trick 95% of the time. If you don’t believe me, read this article from Wirecutter. Also, a little detergent goes a long way. Save money by using half the amount.
7. Implement the “1-in-1-out” rule
Anytime a new item comes into your home, something else leaves. A new pair of jeans means tossing or donating some other clothing item.
8. Remember free has a cost
I am thinking twice before I accept free stuff. Free key chains, stickers, and T-shirts have a cost. Physical objects clutter our homes and our minds.
9. Always have a sharp knife
People find chopping and dicing a chore because they use dull knives. Sharpen your knives every few months. Sharp knives are a delight and safer since you'll use less force while cutting.
10. Use a food scale for everything
Mine lives on my kitchen counter as the ultimate cooking tool. I use it for pour-over coffee, cooking, baking, and tracking macros. Stop using any other measuring unit except grams. Volume can vary but weight never does.
My favorite YouTube chefs Brian Lagerstrom and Ethan Chlebowski swear by grams. It will give your cooking consistency and precision, plus have fewer measuring cups to wash.
11. Buy some digital media (versus streaming everything)
Most media companies are unprofitable and continue to raise prices and push you toward their ad-supported tiers. This is an awful experience for movie lovers.
Consider using CheapCharts to track price drops on your favorite movies and TV shows. Most movies are surprisingly affordable—typically $5-7 on sale. I recently purchased Aliens and Arrival in 4K for five bucks, and the entire Mad Men series cost me just $24.
12. Turn off the TV soap opera effect
This is a personal pet peeve. Any time I am at someone’s home I notice they have a TV setting on called Motion Smoothing aka make everything in the style of a soap opera. It feels unnatural watching TV this way. Check your TV's picture settings — look for Motion, Smoothing, or TruMotion and turn it off.
Social Intelligence
13. Jot down notes on people you meet.
Their name and something about them. Doesn’t have to be every time or a perfect list but a starting point when you see them again.
14. Combine exercise time with friend time.
They do not need to be separated. More in lessons from my half-marathon.
15. Assume most people like you.
We underestimate how much other people like us. It is called the “liking gap”. Next time you're with someone new, remember they're probably enjoying your company more than you realize.
16. Compliment more people
Compliments can lift someone’s mood. The rule is to be genuine and immediate. When good things pop into your head tell people. It’s selfish to admire others in silence.
17. Use a third-party reference when speaking to strangers
Use the environment to break the ice. Rather than asking about the person (and putting them on the spot), asking about the place or event you're both at is a better way to start a conversation. When I go to a concert, I will ask attendees "Have you seen [group name] live?"
18. Friends only care about how you make them feel
So be a good listener. Make them laugh. Don’t worry about impressing them. They don’t care.
19. People hardly think about you (so do your thing)
Coworkers, friends, family, and even SOs— spend less time thinking about you. Everyone's too busy being the main character in their own story.
When I tell others I write on Medium and have a newsletter, I get a little self-conscious but quickly realize they don't care. People are busy with their own lives.
Technology
20. Activate Apple Pay on your Apple Watch
There is nothing to pull out. If you live near transit, you wave your hand over the reader. There is nothing to press, push, or tap. It’s magic.
21. Use a Password manager
Stop using your family member’s names followed by obvious numbers as your password. Password managers like Bitwarden or Apple's Passwords app create randomly generated secure passwords. They're free, easy to use, and remove the hassle of remembering.
22. Learn email keyboard shortcuts
Then process email from the bottom to the top. This will save you 1-minute every day, which will compound to hours saved per year.
23. Start using a laptop again
We use phones for everything but touch screens aren't best for certain tasks. Online shopping, writing long notes/texts, and surfing the web work better on a laptop with a keyboard and mouse/trackpad.
I also check Instagram on my laptop because it doesn’t have videos or ads. I have the sterile version of a social media slot machine and it’s great.
Productivity and Habits
24. Carry a Kindle or book in your bag/purse.
Not only will you look more sophisticated but keep the momentum going to finish that book and replace mindless scrolling with a high-quality leisure activity.
25. Cancel subscriptions the day you subscribe.
Make the default having to resubscribe to services every month. I do this with streaming services like Max/Netflix and app subscriptions. It will help you reconsider if you really need them or if you would be better off saving the money.
26. Create a reusable travel checklist
I keep separate checklists for international, domestic, and overnight trips. Beyond packing items, I include home tasks like taking out trash and turning off appliances before leaving for an extended period.
27. Create a long-term reminder list
Open up your to-do list app and add yearly reminders like car license plate renewals, subscriptions, credit fees, etc. This way you will never forget. 99% of the time you will act when you are about to lose money.
28. Keep the ball rolling when you get home
Sometimes you just need to crash on the couch in comfy pants and zone out to TV after work. But consider riding the momentum of motion. Knock out a quick chore, tidy up, or tackle a big lingering task and THEN plop down. I find it 10x harder to drag myself off the couch once I'm settled.
29. If you want to build a habit, start with an established habit
I became a consistent meditator for 4 years simply doing it right after brushing my teeth. It’s like a brain notification. The new behavior is activated automatically.
30. Floss in the shower
You won’t mind spending a few extra minutes soaking in a hot steamy shower. I place floss picks in my shower caddy.
31. Reflect on life using a nice pen and a fancy journal
I like the LEUCHTTURM 1917 notebook for this. A few minutes a few times a week is good enough. Reflecting on life allows us to slow down. Too often we bounce from one stimulus to the next. Try my slow journaling method.
32. Don’t use your phone as a bedside alarm clock
If you do, it’s easy to turn off your alarm and go down the rabbit hole of checking stuff. Starting off reacting is a terrible way to start your day. Keep your phone outside of the bedroom.
Finance
33. Invest Early
I opened a Roth IRA when I was in grad school even though I had little money. Putting anything is better than nothing. Compounding is one of the most powerful forces in the world.
Warren Buffett isn't worth billions because he just picked the right stocks — he's been in the game for 60+ years.
34. Track your Spending
90% of people don't track spending and have no idea how much they spend on food yearly. Be different. Be disciplined. Nothing changes without awareness.
I used Mint for 10+ years before it shut down. Now I use Copilot Money. The annual $95 is worth it.
35. Automate Your Money
If you are financially good, start automating and creating a money funnel. When my direct deposit hits my checking account, it transfers a certain amount to invest, save, etc. I also have autopay turned on for my utilities and all my credit cards get paid on the 4th of each month.
Thanks for reading!
Irfan
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