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As youngsters, many of us scoffed at the idea of going to bed at a reasonable hour and being up by daybreak the following day. Such behavior is typically dismissed as something that “old-timers do.”
But as we grew older, we began seeing the logic behind such habits and how practicing them can actually add efficiency to our lives. Many shared this realization in a recent Reddit thread about “old person habits” that make the most sense.
Whether it’s doing grocery shopping before noon to beat the throngs of people or sewing as a meditative activity, you may relate with at least one of these.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
I have started shutting up lol. I was advised, by an older, wiser supervisor, to talk less. I never paid attention to the fact that some people take advantage of what I just considered friendly openness, but may be considered over-sharing. Not everyone is your friend. Some people have an agenda, and are waiting for you to give them something they can use.
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#2
Spending time in a peaceful and quiet home instead of partying.
#3
Comfy pants. Comfy shoes. Life's too short for uncomfortable pants and shoes.
KittyGaming 2 weeks ago
Just started my girl stuff this week so I second this, comfy pants all day
#4
All weekend errands are done before noon to beat the crowds. If I can’t get there before then, I’ll wait.
Oldachrome1107:
The proper old person errand hack is doing them on a Wednesday at like 1:30 pm.
Firstname Lastname 2 weeks ago
This is why Tuesday is grocery day. Otherwise I'm stuck behind someone who thinks they can find a better box of crackers if they stare long enough.
#5
Closed captioning on anything I watch.
Darth_Krios:
I can't hear without my subtitles!
Lyone Fein 2 weeks ago
Even with good hearing there’s a lot of scripted stuff that is easily missed, mumbled, spoken at the same time that someone else is talking, etc.
#7
I get to the airport plenty early for flights and don’t care about waiting around if the lines are short. I’m 27. I’ve had enough close calls for one life.
#8
Going out with my husband for lunch instead of dinner. No overly stuffed belly before bed, can get in your pjs and relax at night and talk about the lovely lunch, and you can enjoy the views or gardens at the pub or restaurant.
#10
Gardening….
And as my grandfather said, learn to age gracefully and accept the changes as they come.
LizardPossum:
It's wild how gardening just snuck up on me. I got a couple of herbs, then a Venus flytrap - just a couple. And it exploded from there. Now I have a whole "tea garden" full of herbs I make tea with plus a bunch of veggies and cool, weird plants that just look cool.
#12
Sewing / crocheting it’s literally meditation 🧘♀️.
#13
Ignore the clock, eat when you're hungry, sleep when you're tired.
#14
Granny trolly. Life saver.
batteryforlife:
Seconded. Looks stupid, friggin lifesafer for the big weekly shop with no car.
Auntriarch 2 weeks ago
Absolutely! Mr Auntriarch bought me one when I briefly hurt my shoulder, but I am still using it. Oh and it doesn't have to be tartan, mines got flamingos on it.
#15
Sitting in the shade and enjoying the breeze when I am by the water. You are hidden in plain sight and you see and hear a lot.
#16
Grunting when I stand up. Actually, I didn't adopt it, it adopted me!
#17
Not caring about my looks/body image! I still struggle with that, especially the culture we live in, but since I hit 50 I just care so much less! I'm definitely not going to judge my worth by what someone else thinks. Especially when they're trying to sell something!
Lost Panda 2 weeks ago
My wife says that people think that I don't get fed and it looks bad on her... I'm just like... I've been skinny my whole life... why are you worried about what others think? XD
#18
Earplugs at concerts and movie theaters, thank me in a few decades.
Jack and Coke 2 weeks ago
I have constant tinnitus because I was young and foolish and stood in front of the speakers at concerts back in the 80's. Wish someone had told me to use earplugs.
#19
Keeping a running grocery and to do list. "Writing it down later" is a young man's thing.
#20
Going to eat at a nice place at reasonable non busy hour of 4:30.
#21
Taking my shoes off at the door and stepping straight into my slippers.
#22
Drive slower than usual in parking lots - it can save a life or prevent a serious injury.
#23
Hold the railing when walking up or down stairs.
Laura Lawson 2 weeks ago
Big nope from me! Public handrails anyway. I work in a medical field & frankly, many people are disgusting. They will cough or sneeze (or worse) into their hands & then just slide that gross hand along the handrail. I don't touch public door handles either & only use my knuckles on touch screens.
#25
Taking naps. Never felt better. No wonder my grandparents have lived so long.
FlamingoPanda 2 weeks ago
20 minutes turns into 2 hours for me and I wake up wondering when and where I am. Usually I lay directly on the floor with maybe a pillow under my head and just rest for 15 minutes instead if I am really tired and in need of a nap.
#26
Resting my eyes!
My grandma used to just sit there with her eyes closed and I’d always ask if she was asleep. But I get it now, sometimes they just need a little break.
Huddo's sister 2 weeks ago
I used to be really paranoid about closing my eyes in public, but last weekend I was at a music festival, the sun was right in my eyes and I was feeling really overstimulated so I just sat with my eyes closed for a while. It was actually exactly what I needed.
#27
You know those "grabber" things that they market to "old people" so they can reach stuff up on h**h shelves? Those are really handy at any age, I've got a couple around the house. They're really useful when the dog rolls his favorite ball under the bed and sits there whining at you to get it for him.
Huddo's sister 2 weeks ago
My family are all short, we've always had a grabber in the house, sometimes more. You realise just how important the first time you almost fall off the kitchen bench!
#28
Shower chair. Should not have been so old people marketed.
Featherytoad 2 weeks ago
I don't physically need one anymore, but it's nice to just sit and wash my hair. They are also a must if you only have a shower stall and you need to shave your legs.
#29
Paper printouts on my vacation itinerary. As someone with a common name it helps if I have the confirmation number handy. Having a piece of paper with the information for my flight/hotel/rental car means I don't need my phone.
Igor914624 2 weeks ago
I always print things like hotel reservations or boarding passes. Having them printed on paper saved us one time. The gate attendant couldn't find us on the passenger list, but we had boarding passes that said we were on the flight, so we got on and didn't miss the cruise ship leaving our destination.
#30
Showing up to vote.
Huddo's sister 2 weeks ago
Everyone should be doing this anyway. At least then when it doesn't go your way, you did your part. Maybe it's because it's compulsory where I live but I can't believe people don't make the effort to think about the world/country they want to live in.
#31
Changing straight into pajamas the second I’m home. You won’t catch me hanging out in the house in my street clothes. I’m either n***d or in my jammies.
#32
Not everything needs to be rushed. I’ll get there when I get there.
Also, be yourself and don’t worry so much about what others think.
Child of the Stars 2 weeks ago
The first is fine--unless you're meeting someone. My ex-FIL refuses to make even an ETA for what time they'll be there when they come visit. He doesn't seem to understand that his son and I both work full-time, have chores and errands to do, and are co-parenting our school-aged children (who are in two different schools with two different schedules). We need to know what time to be home to greet them!
#33
Pay attention when walking down stairs.
April Pickett 2 weeks ago (edited)
but the bruises hurt and they are not pretty. I've had some falls on the stairs and learned to lean back, hold on to the stair rails, and slow down.
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SmooshyFries 2 weeks ago
I used to be an optician and always always told my patients when they picked up their first pair of any type of bifocal to TUCK IN YOUR CHIN WHEN YOU GO DOWN THE STAIRS! Be sure to look thru the mid range part of the lens or distance part otherwise you WILL fall!
Data1001 2 weeks ago
Oftentimes I'll catch myself almost missing a step, and immediately think, "This is probably how I'll kick the bucket -- they'll find my body at the bottom of a flight of stairs with a broken neck." I try to always pay attention when going down stairs, but it's a simple thing to lose your concentration for one second and then--- oopsie-daisy.
Sadie Grace Scholen 1 day ago
yes pay attention you can get off your phone for a few seconds to go down the stairs
Geoffrey Scott 2 weeks ago
Retired now, but as a custodian I was VERY careful going backwards down the staircases sweeping/mopping.
LuisSD stuff 2 weeks ago
I have poor eyesight so I need to be careful going up and down stairs even on stairs I've walked on for years.
Brian Droste 2 weeks ago
Pay attention everywhere if you are out in the public. You never know what you might encounter out in the public.
#34
I won’t buy any clothing that doesn’t have a little bit of stretch. I accidentally bought a denim jacket without, and had to get rid of it because it made me feel claustrophobic. I wonder how I ever tolerated all the 'cute but uncomfortable' outfits I used to wear.
#35
Lap blankets. I got a heated blanket last year for Christmas (for myself), and it's amazing. I don't have to switch out the blankets by which one is warmer, I can just set the blanket to whatever heat level is right and I'll be toasty.
Auntriarch 2 weeks ago
I've got a crochet blankie, there's that point when it's not really cold enough to put the heating on, but it's not really warm enough to sit still, that's where the blankie comes in
#36
Slippers and a blanket for watching TV with my partner.
Why bother heating the entire room when you can both snuggle under a blanket with the dog?
#37
Early bed time/Early rising.
FortuneTellingB**bs:
This! I think I just am old, because one day I went to bed at 9pm and it just stuck. It's the greatest.
the_owl_syndicate:
It dawned on me the other day, I LIKE to sleep, so why am I fighting going to bed? Went to bed early, slept through the night, felt so relaxed and calm the next day.
#38
So this may just have been my personal perception, but I always associated recliner chairs with the aged.
When I was couch shopping with my husband we tested one in a jokey “let’s see our future” kind of thing and OMG I’ve never known comfort like it. We’ve been recliner people ever since. We have an electric twin seater with drink holders and a compartment storage for remotes etc. I love it!
#39
There’s always room for ice cream at least according to all my grandparents.
#40
I got into knitting last year, and now I'm like, ok I get the appeal now. I recently started trying crochet, too.
Poll Question
What's your favorite 'old person' habit you've adopted?
Going to bed early
Grocery shopping before noon
Sewing as a meditative activity
Waking up at daybreak
What do you think ?
Joe Publique 2 weeks ago
What? Most of these have nothing to do with a person's age. You should rename the list: 'Sensible people habits that foolish people adopted'.
Joe Publique 2 weeks ago
What? Most of these have nothing to do with a person's age. You should rename the list: 'Sensible people habits that foolish people adopted'.
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