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Life Advice

A running list of life advice covering health, finance, productivity, and many other areas. Bolded entries are especially important. Unbolded entries are ordered by date added (as opposed to importance). Entries from others have a linked source at the end.

As my philosophy goes, use what's obviously useful and attempt what looks promising. If it doesn't work after a meaningful attempt, don't force it.

Health
Finance
Career
Social
Productivity
Environment
Useful/Practical/Fun
Thinking
See Also

Health

In order of importance for exercise (roughly, exceptions exist): consistency, volume, intensity. If consistency isn't there, progress will be made and lost. If volume isn't adequate, muscles/CNS won't be stimulated enough. If the work isn't intense enough, the muscles and CNS aren't appropriately challenged.
Shower with lukewarm or colder water. Showering using very hot water is bad for the skin.
The Harbinger PolyPro Dip Belt is the best method of attaching weight for calisthenics (dips, pull-ups, muscle-ups, etc.). I've used mine extensively for eight years and it has minimal wear on it.
Acquiring things will rarely bring you deep satisfaction. But acquiring experiences will. (Source)
Human mood and well-being are heavily influenced by simple things: Exercise, good sleep, light, being in nature. It’s cheap to experiment with these. (Source)
Added sugar is easier to minimize/eliminate than most would think. See Cutting Sugar.
Only three exercises are needed to get strong: overhead press (push), pull-up (pull), and squat (legs). OHP covers most pushing muscles and core. Pull-up covers pulling muscles and core if done right. Squat covers legs and core. If lack of weight access is a problem, read the r/bodyweightfitness FAQ, then get into the Recommended Routine.
Pick a program and stick with it for at least 6-12 months. Do not fall victim to fuckarounditis. The r/Fitness wiki is a great starting point for those wanting to get started but unfamiliar with fitness.
A Schwinn Airdyne is arguably the best piece of cardio equipment on the market. Look on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and other local used goods sites. I've found three on there for $40, $100, and $200. They are incredibly durable, take up a small footprint (about 2 ft x 4 ft), and provide all the cardio possibly wanted or needed. While all models work, the ones with the large fans are preferable.
Nutrition is a major contributor to exercise results and everyday feeling, both in quantity and quality. Cutting overly-processed foods out should be the first priority. Quantity is dependent on goals, while quality is universal across athletes—nobody should be eating junk food. See Jump the Shark for details about nutrition.
Mobility is often underrated and the new fad of "stretching bad" (said with a caveman voice) is not good. At the same time, there is such a thing as too much mobility. Myself and others have found success in DeFranco's Limber 11, along with some other work.
Don't drink calories. This includes some types of coffee, tea, alcohol, soft drinks, juice, etc. As expected, the calories come almost entirely from added sugar. The only liquids that should be drunk are water, tea, coffee (the allowable types are apparent), and milk (this one is a bit controversial).
Filming oneself for both self-form checking and outsider form checking can do wonders for seeing what is being done wrong. For example, my OHP was slighty uneven: my the left side of the barbell was always slightly higher than the right. After filming myself and looking in the mirror, I was able to notice a small difference in my arm positioning that caused the unevenness. Similarly, posting a video online for others to provide feedback is a good idea to get opinions from experts.
Sleep plays a major role in health, recovery, and general well-being. Following sleep hygiene recommendations can improve life significantly without impacting it significantly. Additionally, only using red lights an hour before bed can increase sleepiness and improve sleep quality.
Ergonomic setups, desk and otherwise, at work and home can do wonders for health. I raised one portion of my work and home desk and my body feels much better. Ergonomic keyboards can help with wrist/hand issues. Office chairs make a big difference in comfort. I use a Herman Miller Aeron that I found for cheap on Craigslist. I recommend finding one with the two adjustable lumbar support pads and not the single horizontal pad, which I find uncomfortable.
Sleeping on the stomach often leads to excessive back extension, which can cause problems and pain. Learning to sleep on the back or side is a much healthier option and is easily trainable.
Get outside for at least 15:00 min/day for sunlight (and exercise). This is a great time to call friends!
If vegetables aren't palatable, find ways to make them so. My preference, in order: 1) add salt, pepper, and olive oil; 2) a low-calorie sauce (e.g., sriracha) 3) add dressing. Steaming and roasting also changes the taste, for better or worse depending on the person.
Find ways to make eating vegetables easy. Most grocery stores sell bags of vegetables that are ready to be steamed and eaten. Just microwave for three minutes and done! Throw them in a bowl, add some X (see previous point), and enjoy.
Keep housing air filtering by setting the "Cool" function to be just below the ambient temperature. For example, if the temperature naturally settles at 72 °F without anything being on, set the "Cool" temperature to be 70-71 °F. This will keep air flowing throughout the day, improving air quality and smell. Note: many thermostats have a "circulate" option for the fan. This is another option.
Look into air quality and implement practices as possible.
Eye health is incredibly important. Expensive sunglasses offer much better protection than cheap ones, despite them looking and sometimes even feeling the same. Safety glasses should be worn any time the eyes can be at risk, e.g., yard work, firearms practice, bicycle riding, etc. Aim to reduce both screen time and the brightness of the screen.
If attempting to lose weight, measure weight at a consistent time each day, preferably in the morning after going to the bathroom and before eating/drinking.
Wear sunscreen when the UV index goes above 2. The UV index can be found in most weather apps. Spray sunscreens pose the risk of not being enough, so lotions may be better. SPF (sun protection factor) indicates "how long the sun’s UV radiation would take to redden your skin when using the product exactly as directed versus the amount of time without any sunscreen". The best practice is as follows:
water-resistant, broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher for any extended outdoor activity. Regardless of the SPF, though, it’s important to apply one ounce (two tablespoons) 30 minutes before going outside and reapply it every two hours or immediately after swimming or sweating.
Wear ear protection around anything loud. Concerts, firearms, power equipment, landscaping equipment. Don't listen to music too loud. I've found it useful to keep ear protection in my car at all times in the case the need arises or I forgot them at home.
Waking up after hitting snooze on the alarm rarely, if ever, feels better than just getting up the first time.

Finance

Index funds, specifically VTSAX (U.S. total stock market) and VTIAX (international total stock market), are all anyone really needs. Very diversified, moderate returns, and low expense ratios.
Get a credit card that has offers high/valuable rewards. I recommend the Capital One Venture X.
Call your internet provider every few years and threaten to cancel. Make sure there are other providers in the area that you are actually willing to switch to!
Open and maintain a high-yield savings account.
If no credit lines will be opened in the near future, place a credit freeze on your credit report with all three bureaus (TransUnion, Experian, Equifax) to prevent the risk of identity fraud. It takes less than 15 minutes from having no accounts with any bureau. See this page.
Spend more money/time on optimizing boring things you use a lot: Shoes, socks/underwear, mattress, tailored clothes, hygiene products that work well for you, kitchen accessories (part of the reason you don't cook healthy meals for yourself might be because your kitchen work flow sucks), ergonomic setup at computer. (Source)
Sign up for rewards programs whenever you can (burner email account/phone number optional). It's an easy way to save money and unsubscribing from the inevitable spam is mostly straightforward (via the "Unsubcribe" button or inbox rules). It's been reported that using [current area code]-867-5309 is often available for use.
Unless planning to drive a lot, buying a certified used car is likely better than a brand new one. Much cheaper but with similar performance.
Buy Japanese-made cars. Their maintenance costs are the lowest across all car brands. I've driven three Toyotas in my life: 1999 Tacoma, 2013 Camry, and 2015 Tacoma. None of them have ever had major problems and are still running smoothly near or in the 100,000 mi range. The other family Honda behaves just as well.
If a company matches 401(k) contributions up to X%, contribute X%. It's free money.
Very few people are smart enough to beat the market on their own. If someone says they've discovered the secret to beating the market, it's probably too good to be true.
Money can easily be saved by looking for alternatives. See Money Saving Ideas.
It is always worth looking into and possibly contributing to tax-advantaged retirement accounts, i.e., IRAs and 401(k)s.
Buying a few high-quality, more expensive [insert clothing item here] is generally a much better investment than poor quality [item]. I have two Brooks Brothers shirts that I have worn once a week for the past four years and they are still in excellent shape. This also holds for most objects in general. It's cheaper to buy it once for life than multiple times throughout.

Career

Just ask for things. Free upgrades. Coupons: At checkout you can just ask “Do you have any coupons I can apply to this?”. Raises. Better terms in a job offer: easier than asking for a raise - you have more leverage. (Source)
Being friends with the boss and boss' boss goes a long way. As the saying goes, "it's not what you know, it's who you know". While this has many exceptions (the candidate has to know stuff to achieved the required 3.X GPA to be considered for the job), I know of many people who got jobs—in both public and private companies—because of connections they had on the inside. Being friends increases favorability, increasing the chances of future benefits (raises, promotions, etc).
The biggest pay jumps happen inter-company, not intra-company. Loyalty generally doesn't pay.
Switching between jobs too often looks bad on a resume and is often a red flag. There are exceptions to this, but I've heard this stated by managers across industry, and it's common sense. When someone can't keep a job for long, maybe it's not the job...
Come prepared to an interview with questions for the interviewers. This proves a few things, depending on the depth and type of question. 1) Preparation for the interview. Surprisingly enough, this doesn't always happen... 2) Interest in the company and the want to learn more about its culture, history, future, etc. Some basic questions I've gathered over the years that I like:
- "Can I clarify anything on my resume for you?" Shows thoughtfulness in case something wasn't understood and confidence that anything on the resume can be explained. Not being able to explain an entry is a major red flag.
- "When was the last time you took a vacation and where was it to?" Says a lot about the culture, people, or both.
- "Why is this position available?" This can reveal a lot about the company's culture. "The last guy quit because he was working too much" vs. "The last guy was rude to most team members" tells two completely different stories.
Find ways to convey more productivity without visibly working more hours. This includes automating processes (see Automate the Boring Stuff with Python), working extra hours with telling anybody (50 actual hours of work appears to be 40 hours of work (this has other problems that come with it)), and embellishing your achievements (results may vary).
If a job is soul-sucking with no end in sight, consider a floor job for a limited time.

Take social initiative whenever possible. Be the one who makes plan with others. This conveys outgoingness and sociability. More invitations will come back than the person who sits around waiting for others to invite them. Before the age of COVID, I tried to extend one invitation per week to do something fun.
Remember things about people: likes, dislikes, hobbies, interests, etc. I mostly take mental notes, but the CLI tool friends does an excellent job of keeping all notes and activities done with a specific friend in one place. I can simply type friends list activities --with [friend] and all activities with [friend] are printed.
Reading a lot about a lot (depth and breadth) gives more chances to relate with others, friends and strangers. Reading can include non-fiction and fiction books, articles, blog posts, current events, podcasts, magazines, and forums.
Documenting and taking photos of things is a really important tool to help integrate experiences into your future memory, which is where most of the value is. (Source)
Compliments are incredibly important because most people who have positive qualities (i.e., high energy, good at getting things done, takes initiative, etc.) often don’t realize they are better than others at these things. Providing awareness of this and helping people lean into it is a supremely important task. (Source)
If you add value to others, they will value you; if you don’t add value, you will be neglected. Most self-pity is not sufficiently internalizing this. (Source)
When in need of a conversation topic, ask a question about the other person's life. Anything about their life. (If I can't think of something else, I ask about weekend plans.) Listen for what part of their answer they're most interested in. Ask followup questions about that thing. Repeat as necessary. (Source)
Just ask for things. Free upgrades. Coupons: At checkout you can just ask “Do you have any coupons I can apply to this?”. Raises. Better terms in a job offer: easier than asking for a raise - you have more leverage. (Source)
Cold contact people. Yes, even famous people. Just make sure you have something to say. (Source)
Cultivate compassion for those less intelligent than you. Many people, through no fault of their own, can’t handle forms, scammers, or complex situations. Be kind to them because the world is not. (Source)
Call your parents when you think of them, tell your friends when you love them. (Source)
Exposure to international cultures can provide new perspectives and experiences. Seek out those of different cultures.
Having a solid group of only a few friends is much better than a shallow group of many friends.
Never provide a timeline if it's unnecessary. If it's met, there is little good done, as the person who was provided it expected it to be. If it's not met, there is much bad done, as the person who was provided it expected it to be met, and pushing it back even more looks bad.
Most friendships that aren't a priority can still be maintained by a short phone call every once in a while. These phone calls can be made while out for a walk, commuting, shopping, doing chores, etc.
Making friends over the internet is surprisingly easy and often only requires reaching out about something they said and that you're interested in.
If person A tells a secret of person B, no secret is ever safe with person A.
Learn how to keep a conversation flowing. Practice can be done on strangers, friends, or acquaintances. See entry above "Reading a lot about a lot".
Eliminate filler words from everyday conversation. Major offenders I notice in others include "uh", "um", "you know", "basically", and "like".

Productivity

Experiment with multiple productivity systems to find which one or combination of multiple works best. I've found that taking principles from multiple and combining it into a personal system is best. Everyone is individual, and there is no need to conform to a rigid system if it doesn't work well.
Get a second monitor. The ability to work between two windows without having to move one does wonders.
Most people think of themselves as being not as smart/talented/good at X, compared to others. In reality, the rate of improvement is much more important than one’s starting place. Over enough time, the person who seeks to improve will be way ahead of the person who initially was much better, but didn’t progress. (Source)
Have something productive to do when doing nothing. See Productive Idling.
Write a weekly meal planner. This eliminates the extra cognitive load of having to think about "what am I going to make for lunch/dinner" on a rolling ad hoc basis. It also makes it more likely that your grocery shopping purchases will actually match your consumption needs. (Source)
Be prepared: When you are 90% done any large project (a house, a film, an event, an app) the rest of the myriad details will take a second 90% to complete. (Source)
The purpose of a habit is to remove that action from self-negotiation. You no longer expend energy deciding whether to do it. You just do it. Good habits can range from telling the truth, to flossing. (Source)
If you're writing a long comment on the internet, you're probably better off writing it in a local text editor and copy-pasting it once you're done. It has only happened to me a couple of times, but losing a long, detailed comment through a reload or browser crash or whatever was always frustrating. (Source)
Photograph then discard: when you get a document that might be useful (but having the original copy of the document is unnecessary), just take a photo of it, email it to yourself with an easily searchable subject line, and recycle or throw away the document. (Source)
Change the phone's color to grayscale only. The vibrant colors seem to increase the phone's addictiveness. I've noticed great success in decreasing my screen time using this. I can also easily change back to color if needed by pressing the home button three times (iPhone only). Path as of 20 July 2022: Home>Settings>Accessibility>Display & Text Size>Color Filters>Turn On>Check "Grayscale". "White Point" (on the "Display & Text Size" screen) can also reduce eye strain a bit. To change color filters quickly: Accessibility>Accessibility Shortcut>Check "Color Filters".
Place any distracting apps—regardless of how useful—off the phone's home screen and in a folder, preferably on the second page of said folder. Out of sight means out of mind means less likely to mindlessly browse. Further, placing the phone itself completely out of sight does even more.
Use the iPhone's built-in optical character recognition (OCR) feature to quickly copy dense text to the clipboard.
Learn to type quickly and without looking. Experiment with different keyboard layouts to see if it helps speed and comfort. 70+ wpm is a good number to aim for.
Learn hotkeys. These save a significant amount of time and effort, and eventually become second nature to use. Mac hotkeys and Windows hotkeys. My most useful (for Mac) are: save, copy, paste, close window/tab, new tab, open last closed tab, go to address bar, select all, find in page, print, quit app, undo, redo, new.
Learn about and implement spaced repetition, whether for trivia or genuinely useful information. I've memorized all countries/capitals/flags/locations, the periodic table (atomic number, weight, symbol), a few poems, and many other pieces of info with only about 5:00 min/day of practice since 12 October 2019. This can speed up recall and prevent having to waste time searching for something.
Find a file hierarchy system that makes sense and is easily navigable. Forgetting where something is and searching through many subfolders is time-consuming and easily preventable. Saving static files (i.e., they won't be modified at all) in multiple relevant places can make them easier to find. For example, if I download an exercise book, I save it in both my "books" and "training" folders.
Standardize, standardize, standardize. It makes everything easier in the future. Having a master document that details how everything is to be done in the future can save much effort and time in the future. See niplav's style guidelines for an excellent example.
Ensure any identical desktop and mobile apps sync up to each other, e.g., OneNote on the phone should sync to OneNote on desktop.
Regularly review habits, systems, and progress to see what's working and what's not. See Review.
Trivial inconveniences can be eliminated by timing how long the task takes, then using the short amount of time as a motivator to complete it in the future.
If Reddit is used every day, review subreddit subscriptions every (month/quarter/half/year) and unsubscribe to those that do not provide value.

Environment

Identify emotionally draining people in your circles and spend less time with them. Alternative: Identify and fix major sources of emotionally draining interactions in people you like to spend time with. (Source)
Sleep in a dark, somewhat cool room with minimal sound. The dark can be achieved using blackout curtains and/or sleep mask; the cool by thermostat, fan, or open window, as well as breathable mattress and sheets; and the sound by earplugs/muffs or respectful neighbors.
Spend at least 15-30 minutes outside every day, especially if it's sunny.
"You're the average of the five people spend the most time with" holds true in my experience.
Always place electronics (and other valuable items that can be ruined by liquids) physically higher than liquids. I call this the electronic air gap.
Social media is largely unhealthy when used as designed. It leads to comparison of others despite them only showing highlights, mindless scrolling, and useless information. Minimize the amount of time spent on social media and use the time that is spent on interacting with others in a meaningful way.
Commuting takes a mental, and by extension, physical toll. If no preference or obligations, live as close to work as possible.
Association with rooms are powerful. Compartmentalizing rooms to correspond with certain activities is helpful for productivity, general mood, and habit formation. For example, bedroom = sleep and sex, living room = relaxation, office = work.
Avoid angry, negative people as much as possible.

Useful/Practical/Fun

If someone says something really helped them and it's relatively low-cost to try, try it. It may work, but if it doesn't, there's no harm done.
Problems often become easier to solve when more money is put towards solving them.
Anything you will positively remember or take advantage of 5+ years in the future is likely worthwhile. (Source)
Be a tourist for everything. Tourism isn’t just literally about traveling to a new place; go immerse yourself in a new subculture, a new neighbourhood, a convention/event for something you aren’t familiar with, a new ethnic restaurant, go explore YouTube comments or TikToks about something you don’t know. (Source)
Purchase a fanny pack for vacations to store phones, wallets, passports, portable chargers, and other small items
Dress warmly to improve space heating savings.
Set up keyboard shortcuts to save typing time. I use aa for address1 and aaa for address2 and @@ for my email.
Never leave items on a car bumper. They will be forgotten.
Never pass up an opportunity to use the restroom. (This has been my family's motto since I was young.)
When using a slow cooker, put a liner down to make cleaning up instant. If possible, spoon the food out (forks can easily pierce the liner).
Before traveling, browse Atlas Obscura's page for the destination to find non-mainstream things to do and see.
Car phone mounts make looking at directions much easier and safer.
When parking in a large lot or if there are multiple garages/lots available, take a phone screenshot of the maps app for future reference, especially if not returning for an extended period.
Spend more money/time on optimizing boring things you use a lot: Shoes, socks/underwear, mattress, tailored clothes, hygiene products that work well for you, kitchen accessories (part of the reason you don't cook healthy meals for yourself might be because your kitchen work flow sucks), ergonomic setup at computer. (Source)
Try to live close to where you work. Failing that, try to work close to where you live. Commuting takes a lot of time and you don't get paid for it. (Source)
Choose your hobbies so that they solve big problems in your life. (Source)
Just ask for things. Free upgrades. Coupons: At checkout you can just ask “Do you have any coupons I can apply to this?”. Raises. Better terms in a job offer: easier than asking for a raise - you have more leverage. (Source)
Cold contact people. Yes, even famous people. Just make sure you have something to say. (Source)
Ask questions online. You know those answers you enjoy reading on Stack Exchange, Reddit, Quora, etc.? Someone had to ask those questions. It can be you. If you’re embarrassed by the question, it’s easy to be anonymous. (Source)
If you want to find out about people’s opinions on a product, google [product] reddit. You’ll get real people arguing, as compared to the SEO’d Google results. (Source)
TSA PreCheck (for domestic flights) and Global Entry (for entering the U.S. from abroad) allow for significant time savings and convenience. On my last trip, it took me a) 10, 3, and 3 minutes to pass security from the moment I entered the line, compared to an estimated 20-40-minute wait, and b) 7 minutes to pass customs, compared to an estimated 45-minute wait (around 200 people waiting). Global Entry is also reimbursed by certain credit cards, includes TSA PreCheck, and is valid for five years. See Global Entry Cost-Benefit Analysis.
Checking bags in for flights is risky: it can get lost, things stolen, or mishandled. Always try to only have carry-on bags. This also forces lighter packing, which is (generally) better.
Google Translate allows for languages to be downloaded locally for offline usage. Do this before traveling to foreign countries.
Google Maps allows city maps to be downloaded locally for offline viewing. Do this before traveling to foreign/unknown areas.
Utilize higher-up space for storage in the form of shoe racks, cabinets, shelves, etc.
No-kink hoses make watering much easier.
High-pressure showerheads make showers much more enjoyable and are very easy to install.
Apply Pay is incredibly convenient: no need for a wallet, no need to pull out credit cards, just put the phone to the receiver.
Reversible belts (black and brown) are helpful because they can match almost any shoe color (and shoes should match belts!).
Memorize then scratch off credit card CVVs (the three numbers on the back). This prevents potential thieves from using it for online purchases.
Keep at least one fire extinguisher in the house.
If the garage is used on a regular basis, consider insulating the doors.
Add gutters to the house to keep water away from the foundation. Downspout extenders should also be installed to maximize the distance away from the house. Go out in the rain and verify that there are no leaks and all water is running into and down the gutters.
Sharpen kitchen knives on a regular basis. Much safer if an accident happens and much easier to cut ingredients.
Most smart TVs support Apple's AirPlay or Chromecast, which allows casting of a device to the TV. Awesome when trying to show multiple people something.
Write contact information (name, phone number, email) in permanent marker on the inside of wallets.
Use 10 Minute Mail to sign up for things that should probably not get a legitimate email. It's free and can be refreshed for a new 10 minutes.
Have a tie pre-tied and ready to go, especially if tie-tying isn't regularly practiced. It also helps to remember the best length of each side.
If one tire needs to get changed, change all four tires to keep tread depths the same. If four tires are too expensive, change the opposite tire (so two total).
Purchase a set of four rechargeable AA and AAA batteries each. These pay for themselves after about 24 batteries or so.
Learn to swim. It can literally mean life or death in some situations, and opens up an entirely different world. The time effort needed is around 20 hr, not an unreasonable time for such a useful skill.
Get two long phone charging cords, preferably at least 10 ft. There will be nowhere the cords can't reach. Also, if appropriate and applicable, two laptop chargers: one is resident at the workstation and one is portable.
Learning how to cook has the advantage of making meals cheaper, tastier, and healthier and yourself more valuable. Mastering a few specific recipes is a relatively low-cost activity that pays big benefits. Mastering a cocktail recipe is a good idea, too.
It never hurts to send an email to someone famous. If a response is really needed, apply Cunningham's Law as needed. I've gotten emails back from Tyler Cowen and Robin Dunbar.
Archive every piece of media consumed. This can be done in an HTML file, text document, bookmark manager, etc. I find myself referencing back to links I read many years ago that I would have forgotten otherwise. On the other hand, bookmark anything remotely interesting to read later. One possible system are "Read Later" and "Already Read" folders: when a "Read Later" item is finished, place it in the "Already Read" folder. I prefer text-based documents, as it allows me to 1) search for keywords I add on to the end of the entry, and 2) attach any thoughts or notes.
If getting out of bed is difficult:
- Go to bed earlier.
- Having a room temperature that is greater than or equal to the under-the-blanket temperature makes it significantly easier to get out of bed. Cold room = cozier bed = not wanting to get out.
- Put the alarm clock on the other side of the room.
- Use a natural sunlight alarm clock.
- Set an alarm for 30 min before the real wake-up time, consume caffeine, then go back to bed and be fully awake come wake-up time.
Living close to a hospital provides two benefits:
- In the case of rolling blackouts, the power is less likely to be cut for those living near hospitals.
- In the case of an emergency, the time to get to a hospital is drastically decreased.
Cutting toenails allows socks to last longer. Cutting fingernails makes nail-biting less likely.
While drafting an email, do not put anyone in the "To" field until it's ready to send. This prevents accidental and/or premature sending. (I've been saved by this a few times.)
If using Outlook, automatically BCC or CC yourself on every email. This will allow personal emails to show up in the conversation, rather than just emails from other people.
Learn how to drive both automatic and standard transmission cars properly and safely.
Do not become reliant on online map services to get places. The first time going some place, use the maps and attempt to remember it. The second time, have the map open but attempt to remember it correctly. The third time, do not have the map open. Purposefully getting lost can also help sense of direction.
Practice some type of prepping. Notes here.
Taking clothes out of the dryer immediately after finishing and hanging them does a good job of preventing wrinkles.
italki has extremely cheap, yet qualified, language tutors for a variety of languages.
Discount Tire will patch/plug a vehicle's tire for free, no strings attached. Go there if something is found in the tire.
Have >$50 cash at all times.
Public libraries often have all the books and other media (CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays) one could want. This is much cheaper than buying movies that won't be watched more than once.
Learn to drive with one hand in a safe environment, so if the need to do so ever arises, it's not a new experience. See Safe Driving Exercises.

Thinking

Read Feeling Good, implement its suggestions, regularly review the cognitive distortions and other lists provided, and try to catch them as they come up. Spending a few sessions with a CBT professional may also provide insight into personal thinking issues.
Being enthusiastic is worth 25 IQ points. (Source)
If you are looking for solutions to problems, look for zero-willpower/zero-inspiration solutions first (Source)
Keep your identity small. “I’m not the kind of person who does things like that” is not an explanation, it’s a trap. It prevents nerds from working out and men from dancing. (Source)
There is no interpersonal situation that can’t be improved by knowing more about your desires, goals, and structure. ‘Know thyself!’ (Source)
Use pros and cons: if you’re making a major life decision, don’t just wing it. Make a carefully composed list of pros and cons. Better yet, also score them with how important each one is. The purpose of this is to help make sure you’re not missing anything important and to make it easy to recognize which are the critical considerations that you should be taking into account (and which you can safely ignore). (Source) Disclaimer: I found this piece after writing the entry immediately below ("When having trouble..."). I swear I didn't plagiarize!
When having trouble making a decision, write down all considerations and create a T-chart. Two options can be had:
1. Assign each consideration some number of points (say 1-5, with 5 being the most important/impactful) and split each considerations points to either side (so 0-5, 1-4, ..., 5-0). The side with most points wins.
2. Assign the consideration to one side (making it a binary decision). The side with the most considerations wins.
I prefer the first option as it gives a bit more resolution and isn't an all-or-nothing decision.
"Find the problem, fix the problem."
See the heuristics I use.
When making an immediate negative reaction about something, take a moment to ask why that thought came to be, and if it could possibly be wrong.
Always attempt to understand the other person's perspective before making conclusions on their character or morals. Asking "Would I have done the same?" can be revealing.
Do everything possible to associate unhealthy, but pleasant, behaviors/actions with positive emotions. For example, associating eating vegetables with watching a favorite TV show can make eating vegetables more enjoyable. It is important that the positive emotion is stronger than the negative emotions produced from the activity, else the TV show is negatively associated with eating vegetables, ruining the show and maintaining the vegetable's repulsiveness.
Create a list of affirmations and review them daily. This allows those thoughts to be on the forefront of the mind.
Integrate trigger-action plans (TAPs) into everyday life.