May 31, 2025: The Life Hacks

A great life hack.

I recently heard about someone who lost their keys on the beach. Hours passed before they noticed, and digging through acres of shoreline seemed hopeless.

But then, a miracle.

A brilliant stranger discovered the keys and didn’t turn them in or toss them aside.

Instead, they planted a stick in the sand like a tiny flagpole and hung them from the top. No note, no drama. Just a silent beacon, standing tall.

Keys found. Day saved.

I love little moves like that — secret shortcuts in a game everyone else plays on hard mode. And while these tricks won’t fix everything, they sure beat regular adulting.

Here are a few of my favs:

• Write tomorrow’s priorities tonight

• Batch similar projects to avoid brain whiplash

• Rest a wooden spoon across boiling pots to prevent spill-overs

• Airplane mode = faster charging

• Jot favorite book quotes on the blank intro page (beats highlighting)

• Watch movies on the treadmill; listen to podcasts during workouts

• Use phone alarms to trigger new daily habits

• Tackle creative work first thing, before the world gets loud

• Check email only at intervals, not constantly

• Placing “This” into subject lines = intrigue and more opens

• Ask “what” questions instead of “how are you”

• Play instrumental music to boost concentration

• Open important meetings with a story

• Sleep better with a white noise machine or small fan

• Learn the Memory Palace technique to remember things

• Set calendar reminders for recurring routines

• Give everything a home, then return it there

• Keep a notebook for dumping all your thoughts

• Park far away, always take the stairs, get extra steps

• Go for a walk when your brain stalls

• When writing, skip the intro and think about the middle

• Don’t worry about the first draft but edit ruthlessly

All these have saved me time and frustration. I’ve got more, so maybe a blog for another day.

In the meantime, whoever planted that beach pole deserves a medal.