40  LIFE  HACKS…to  make  your  life  more  awesome

*Life  hacking  refers  to  any  productivity  trick,  shortcut,  skill,  or  novelty  method  to  increase  productivity  and  efficiency,  in  all  walks  of  life;  in  other  words,  anything  that  solves  an  everyday  problem  of  a  person  in  a  clever  or  non-­‐obvious  way.

Why?

• Your  mindfulness  and  ability  to  self-­‐control  could  probably  be  improved  

• This  will  affect  both  your  job  performance  and  your  quality  of  life  positively

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1.  Self-­‐awareness  advices2.  Social-­‐awareness  advices

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LIVE  IN  THE  NOW.

Don’t  think  too  much  what  will  happen  later  or  daydream  with  the  memories  of  your  past.

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ENJOY  THE  MOMENT.  

Use  routine  activities  to  enjoy  the  moment.  Waiting  in  a  row  is  a  great  opportunity  for  rest  and  enjoyment.

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AVOID  EVERYDAY  ROUTINES.  

Go  to  your  job  using  a  different  road.  Notice  the  leaves  falling,  kids  laughing  and  life  happening.

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BE  THE  MASTER  OF  THAT  VOICE  INSIDE  YOUR  HEAD.

Separate  yourself  from  your  ego  and  don’t  let  negative  emotions  break  your  flow.

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NOTICE  EVERYTHING.

Notice  details.  Our  mind  is  trained  to  ignore  anything  not  important  but  often  that’s  not  what  we  want.

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STOP  RATING  YOUR  EMOTIONS.

Your  emotions  are  neither  good  or  bad,  they  are  just  here  to  help  you  lead  your  life.  Don’t  ride  the  emotional  roller-­‐coaster.

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FORGIVE.

Your  forgiveness  not  only  helps  others  but  also  you.

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TIME  IS  YOUR  MOST  VALUABLE  RESOURCE.

Much  more  important  than  money.  Don’t  get  stuck  with  a  job  you  do  not  like.

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ALWAYS  SAY  YES.  

Agree  with  others.  Instead  of  saying  “YES,  BUT  …”,  say  “YES,  AND  …”.

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DON’T  PLAN  SO  MUCH.  

Take  it  easy  and  just  show  up.  And  be  on  time.

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START  ANYWHERE  AND  DON’T  POSTPONE.  

Just  do  it  and  start  with  the  obvious,  most  important  and  usually  the  hardest  thing  first.

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FACE  THE  FACTS.

Accept  your  environment  and  others.    Things  are  as  they  are  because  of  a  law  of  cause  and  effect.

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BE  “AVERAGE”.

Usually  the  best  ideas  are  simple  and  the  most  obvious.

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FOCUS.

Ask  what  is  the  purpose  of  what  you  are  doing  currently.

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MAKE  MISTAKES.

Don’t  be  a  perfectionist.  Just  keep  on  going.

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BE  ACTIVE  IN  THIS  MOMENT.

Be  active  now  to  find  out  what  will  happen  later.  Success  comes  from  activity  and  not  from  over-­‐analysing.

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LET  “THANKS”  BE  YOUR  MANTRA.

Notice  anything  for  which  you  should  or  can  be  grateful.  Then  thank  people  responsible  or  write  down  the  things  that  you  are  thankful  for.

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CREATE  AND  GIVE.

It  will  make  you  much  happier  than  buying  and  receiving.

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SLEEP  ENOUGH.

Every  person  has  different  needs,  but  most  people  can  benefit  from  adding  a  short  nap  during  the  day.

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EXERCISE  DAILY.

You  will  feel  happier  from  endorphins  released,  be  more  in  shape  and  fall  asleep  more  easily.

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SPEND  MORE  TIME  WITH  FRIENDS  AND  FAMILY.

Later  you  will  miss  those  time  which  you  could  have  shared  with  your  beloved  ones.

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SAY  NO  TO  DRAMA  AND  EGO.

Don’t  let  yourself  be  drawn  in  tiring  drama  with  your  own  ego  or  with  others.

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SMILE  AND  LAUGH.

If  you  smile  when  you  feel  bad,  it  will  magically  make  you  feel  slightly  better.

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MEDITATE.

Rewire  your  brain  for  happiness.  It  is  as  an  important  habit  for  improving  focus,  clarity  and  attention  span,  as  well  as  helping  to  keep  you  calm.

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1.  Self-­‐awareness  advices2.  Social-­‐awareness  advices

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DON’T  CRITICISE.

If  you  really  have  to  do  it,  add  compliments  before  and  after  and  talk  about  your  own  mistakes  too.

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CONVERSATION  IS  NOT  A  CONTEST.

It  is  not  a  goal  to  win  an  argument,  but  to  finish  it  as  quickly  as  possible  and  to  try  to  find  a  win-­‐win  solution.

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AVOID  ARGUMENTS.

Avoid  verbal  fights  and  meaningless  discussions.

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HELP  AND  SUPPORT  OTHERS.

Spend  at  least  2  hours  per  week  helping  others  and  offer  them  honest  support.  You  will  feel  a  change  in  your  own  well-­‐being  too.

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GET  INTERESTED  IN  OTHER  PEOPLE.

If  you  are  not  honestly  interested  in  other  people  you  will  waste  both  your  and  other  people’s  time.

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ACTIVELY  LISTEN  TO  OTHER  PEOPLE.

And  ask  them  to  talk  more  about  their  topics.  You  will  learn  much  more  when  listening  than  talking.

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MAKE  OTHER  PERSON  FEEL  IMPORTANT.

Since  you  are  just  one  of  many  people  on  this  planet,  others  are  as  important  as  you  and  you  should  let  them  know  so.

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USE  STATEMENTS  WITH  WHICH  OTHER  PEOPLE  CAN  AGREE.

Start  your  statements  and  form  your  sentences  and  opinions  as  such  that  other  person  can  agree  and  respond  with  “yes”.

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IF  YOU  ARE  WRONG  ADMIT  IT.

Others  will  appreciate  you  for  admitting  and  you  will  feel  at  rest  with  yourself  too.

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SPEAK  ABOUT  OTHER  PEOPLE’S  MISTAKES  INDIRECTLY.

Before  criticising  give  some  praise  and  talk  about  your  own  mistakes.  Let  other  person  save  his  reputation.

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LET  OTHER  PERSON  THINK  IT’S  HIS  IDEA.

Proving  to  other  person  that  you  are  the  one  who  is  right,  will  have  the  opposite  effect  and  will  not  give  you  any  benefits.

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SEE  THINGS  IN  OTHER  PEOPLE’S  PERSPECTIVE.

Talk  in  form  of  other  people’s  perspectives  and  interests.  Identify  with  other  people's  ideas  and  desires.

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BE  COMPASSIONATE  AND  HAVE  GOODWILL.

Be  kind  to  other  people  and  assume  that  people  are  good  and  have  reasons  for  their  behaviour.

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PRAISE  EVERY  IMPROVEMENT.

Give  other  person  a  good  reputation  to  start  with,  and  he  will  more  probably  keep  it  later.

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IF  YOU  CARE  ABOUT  SOMETHING,  SHOW  IT.

Don’t  communicate  with  mixed  signals,  explain  yourself  and  it  will  be  easier  to  get  what  you  want.

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DON’T  TELL  OTHERS  WHAT  THEY  SHOULD  DO.

Stop  correcting  and  adjusting  others.  Start  with  yourself.

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KNOW  WHEN  NOT  TO  REACT.

Sometimes  problems  can  be  solved  more  passively  than  you  think.  Carefully  consider  if  action  or  no-­‐action  is  better.

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THANKS

Andrej  Dragisic  -­‐  Software  Consultant  (www.andrejdragisic.com)

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