ADVERTISEMENT

Sometimes you stumble across a life hack that is so brilliant, that you have to almost kick yourself for not figuring it out earlier. But better late than never, and the internet is a fantastic place to start.

Someone asked “Which uncomplicated yet highly efficient life hack surprises you that it isn't more widely known?” and people shared their best secrets. So make sure you are ready to take notes, get as comfortable as you can, scroll through, and be sure to upvote your favorites. If you have some ideas of your own to share, feel free to go into details below, in the comments section. 

#1

You don’t have to get married. You don’t have to have kids. It’s a choice, and it’s your choice.

Too many people get pressured to conform and do what others do without questioning the rationale.

RHYMES_WITH_AGINA Report

You May Also Like:
#2

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts You don't have to answer the door just because someone rings the bell.

LordyIHopeThereIsPie , MART PRODUCTION Report

#3

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts Old toothbrushes are the best tools for cleaning small and difficult to access areas

Confuscious-He-Say , Anna Shvets Report

While most of us are probably familiar with the idea of “hacking,” as in cutting something with, say, a machete or hatchet, the idea of a “life hack” is considerably more modern and is probably closer to the concept of a trench-coat wearing fellow in a dark room, breaking into “the mainframe.” 

It was most likely coined by Danny O'Brien, who is still sometimes called the “father of lifehacks.” The idea really did catch on, as people very quickly came to appreciate the concept. Indeed, in the mid-2000s, there were entire conferences dedicated to “life hacks,” although it had a focus on technology and coding. Nevertheless, the idea has expanded and is likely here to stay. 

ADVERTISEMENT
#4

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts Make a copy of your passport, visa and any other important documents and email them to yourself. If something happens to the originals, you have enough information to apply for replacements.

NefariousnessTrick63 , J D Report

#5

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts If you’re ever learning something, whether at a work meeting or class or from a YouTube video, have a notebook where you take 30-60 seconds to jot down a summary, in your own words, RIGHT when you finish. Not detailed notes (which you can take while the class/meeting is going if you need to), but the equivalent of a TV Guide blurb summarizing what you learned.

Not only will rewording/summarizing help you retain whatever you learned, but over the years you’ll have your own personal book of knowledge to reference as a jumping off point for learning more.

FKAFigs , cottonbro studio Report

#6

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts Clean as you go when cooking.

Wipe down surfaces, clean a dish or pot or pan when something needs to simmer for a bit, wipe down your knives after use and dry them with a towel and put them back in the knife block.

I learned it from sister’s husband who is a chef.

It makes cooking so much more pleasant.

Also mise en place. Prep all your ingredients before hand and have them ready. Again, it makes cooking more fun and less arduous and the dishes turn out better.

CupBeEmpty , Liliana Drew Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#7

You don't have to answer your phone if you don't want to. Neither calls nor messages. It can wait. Playing with your kid, taking that bath, finishing the chapter or whatever it is you don't want to interrupt is way more important. If it's a life-and-death matter they'll call again. And again. And again, trust me, you won't miss it. I have a rule with my family in fact, when I don't answer the phone, but it's really REALLY important, they should call immediately a second time, then I'll know and answer. BTW, your phone has a silent mode too.

LivingEntropy Report

#8

White vinegar in the laundry-so much cheaper than fabric softeners and the clothes are cleaner and softer.

hookahsmokingladybug Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#9

If you can’t get yourself to do something, get yourself to do just five minutes of the thing. Nine times out of 10, you will finish the thing immediately. Doing it is a hard, it’s just starting that’s hard.

emmascarlett899 Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#10

If you have adhd, create a folder on your phone called Safe Places. When you put an item in a "Safe Place" so you wont lose it or so you can remember where it is for later, take a picture of it in its safe place and put it in that folder. Good luck remembering to do any of this.

Got2Go Report

#11

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts Wear sunscreen

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it

doob7602 , RF._.studio Report

#12

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts When you take apart a piece of furniture, put the screws and hardware in a sandwich bag. Then write the name of the furniture and use of the screws on a notecard, and put that in the bag.

This keeps screws from a single item in one place, easily visible, and easily referenced for future use (instead of sitting in a large pile of similar, nondescript hardware).

Extension_Resource71 , Antoni Shkraba Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#13

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts 1. Be kind
2. Sharpen your kitchen knives.

colnago82 , Andrey Matveev Report

#14

Paint the back of the switch plate when you are painting a room, that way you have an easy to carry, protected from fading swatch to color match later, if you need to.

Weavingtailor Report

#15

This is really stupid, but put your socks on BEFORE your pants not only is it easier to put the socks on without your pants being in the way, but your foot slides through the pant legs much easier.

aspbergerinparadise Report

#16

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts Ice cube trays are good for more than water. I freeze cubes of tomato paste, coconut and goat milk, and pumpkin puree for the cat. Working on cilantro "pesto" cubes now. It's so handy!

Pandelerium11 , Marco Verch Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#17

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts Put your keys on top of the thing you need to remember to bring with you in the morning.

mainstreetmark , Andrew M Report

#18

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts The public library lets you stream movies and music for free. You just need a library card, which is free too.

Jccckkk , Eleanore Stohner Report

#19

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts When navigating a crowded place with people going every which way, focus your gaze upon the spot you're walking towards.   


 We look at each other's eyes when trying to avoid bumping into each other and maintaining your gaze on the spot you're headed allows people to subconsciously see how to avoid you and will adjust their path accordingly. You won't have any more of those awkward encounters where you're looking at another person and you both keep trying to turn the same direction.  


 I read this trick on here years ago and use it all the time in stores, the mall, etc, and it really does work. Maybe it's because I look like a psychopath and people are trying to avoid me altogether, but either way it works. 

ZacPensol , Christopher Burns Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#20

The origin of the word "prestige" is "illusion." Don't waste excess time, energy, or money trying to impress other people. Focus on developing genuine strengths instead.

anon Report

#21

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts Using an hairdryer to remove stubborn stickers and labels

Livid-Ability1653 , Element5 Digital Report

#22

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts Different colored nail polish on various keys that look the same. Saves SO much time.

Howiebledsoe , rc.xyz NFT gallery Report

#23

The adage: “do what you must before you do what you may”.

As someone with serious ADHD, just saying this phrase before I or as I get distracted has saved me hours of lost productivity.

I apply it to everything. Getting on my phone at work? Not before I send that email. Finished dinner and want to go veg? Not before I clean everything up.

I repeat it to myself constantly throughout the day to keep me focused and taking care of the little things that otherwise would build up.

kerkyjerky Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#24

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts Learning to cook. Started way too late in life. You're paying a fraction of the cost to make something specifically tailored to your taste. And the process is fun, creative, and experimental in the way that the best hobbies are. I stopped drinking and learned to cook during the pandemic. I can not express the difference its made to my finances and health. I suddenly have so much more money for fun stuff, and never worry about a belly sticking out anymore. Start young and learn to love doing it. Your life will improve *dramatically*. 

DiamondPup , RDNE Stock project Report

#25

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts Crumpling your parchment paper into a ball then smoothing it out before using it to line a pan makes it easier to fit it into your pan nicely.

Acenterforants333 , Karolina Grabowska Report

#26

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts You can bypass a lot of paywalls on mobile websites by simply switching to reader mode before the page finishes loading.

baccus83 , Michael Burrows Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#27

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts If you exchange holiday or birthday gifts with your loved ones, keep a list on your phone throughout the year of ideas of what to give and when the time comes to buy gifts you’ll have almost everything prepared

raindorpsonroses , Antoni Shkraba Report

#28

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts If you use a computer for a majority of your work, get a second used monitor off Craigslist or a local sales site. Complete game changer having a work monitor and a reference one. It's never cost me more than $20, and most video cards have multiple outlets.

turbo332 , RDNE Stock project Report

#29

You can get garlic and other smells off your hands or out of jars etc by covering the surface in water which is also in contact with a metal such as steel. That is, rinse your hands under the tap while rubbing a teaspoon against the skin or fill the jar with water and stand a fork in it.

SchoolForSedition Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#30

People Share “Uncomplicated Yet Highly Efficient” Life Hacks, Here Are The 30 Best Posts When putting screen wash in your car.
Turn the bottle sideways.

Afraid-Frosting-4062 , Kampus Production Report

Note: this post originally had 47 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.