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Useful tips I’ve learned over the years.

(64 Posts)
Urmstongran Wed 11-Jan-23 20:04:27

Leave a party when people would still like you to stay a while.
Put moisturiser on my cheeks well before bedtime to give it chance to sink in and not just rub off on the pillow.
Cut tubes of any cream to scoop out what won’t squeeze - this is sometimes quite a lot.
Use a lip brush to access that last half inch of lipstick inside the tube. You’ll be amazed how many weeks worth are in there!
Never discuss important issues after 9pm. Save that conversation for tomorrow. It’ll keep.
Use an exfoliating face product when in the shower - it’s much easier than trying to rinse it off over the sink with handfuls of water.
Whenever you need to ring about a service, note the date, time & the name of the person you are speaking to.
Learn your mobile phone number! It’s only 11 digits and so handy to be able to reel it off without faffing about looking it up.
Really listen to new friends. Remember the names of people they chat to you about. Or write them down when you get home for recall next time. It highlights you were interested and bodes well at your next meet up.
If you are a grandparent, respect the wishes and boundaries of the parents. You had your turn. Now it’s theirs.
Do kind things without keeping a tally. It’s its own reward.
Speak more slowly to the elderly. Give them chance to compute what you’re saying.
Value yourself. If you don’t, how can you expect others to? You are just as important as anybody else. Not more so. Just the same.
Put your phone away when enjoying company. Or at least, stop looking at it for a while.
Compliments are nice to give and only take up a minute of your time.
If you ask people ‘how are you?’ be prepared to listen while they tell you. If you haven’t the time or the energy then just say ‘oh how nice to see you again!’.

Have you any tips to share?
We can learn from one another!
😊

JackyB Thu 12-Jan-23 09:44:25

My father taught me at a very early age not to tell people all about myself and then not ask them about themselves. Listen and react to what your interlocutor has said. ( Many interviewers should remember this I stead of just reading off their list of questions)

The idea of remembering and writing down names and significant events of other people is a very good one.

Don't worry about what people will think of something you have said or how you look. They probably won't remember.

Witzend Sun 15-Jan-23 22:38:43

Store the duvet cover, the bottom sheet, and any other pillowcases inside one pillowcase.

Since my airing cupboard is far too small, I’m forever grateful to whoever gave this tip - either here or on MN.

Quite apart from the fact that the boxes are the devil to open, laundry pods gum up the washing machine with gunge - ditto fabric conditioner. Ditch both, stick to good old powder in the drum and soda crystals in the detergent drawer. Results just as good, and as a bonus, a lot less plastic.

welbeck Mon 16-Jan-23 00:00:07

somebody told me the thing about storing bed linen in the pillowcase; it would have appealed to me in my teens and twenties. sense of order.
now i don't care what anything looks like.
don't have patterned things, but even if i did, would not try to have them matching.
i often feel out of step on here. c'est la vie.

AussieGran59 Mon 16-Jan-23 01:07:13

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

NotSpaghetti Mon 16-Jan-23 01:59:41

AussieGran59 - wish I could learn this one! grin

biglouis Mon 16-Jan-23 02:48:23

#1 Do one task at a time, block it off, and move on to the next.

#2 Dont look at emails/texts late at night. If there is bad news its best handled next morning so why lose sleep over it.

#3 Dont keep a phone in the bedroom for the same reason as #2

#4 Take a regular rest from social media - say 1 day a week

#5 Get a ring doorbell - helps get rid of the timeswasters/salespeople/charity chuggers.

#6 its often expected that older people are a bit deaf/shortsighted etc. You can use this selectively to your advantage.

Tommo Mon 16-Jan-23 03:29:50

Don’t ask: “Is there anything I can do?”
If it hits the floor, that’s where it stays.
Have someone else drive so you can enjoy the view.
Pretend you’re listening.
Don’t wear jocks in the house.
Shave once a week. Or less.
Delete your search history at the end of the day.
Feign interest.
Don’t take up line dancing.
Sleep in.
Stop looking in the mirror.

teabagwoman Mon 16-Jan-23 06:42:15

Thanks for this thread Urmstongran, some new tips and some reminders of things I really should do,like tidying as I go!

I am quite deaf so yes, please speak more slowly and, even more important, make sure you have my attention before you start speaking.

My additions to the list are 1) treat yourself as kindly as you would treat your friends and 2) if you need help ask for it.

teabagwoman Mon 16-Jan-23 07:39:23

And tip 3) do your food prep first thing. Makes it much easier when you’re tired in the evening.

Lucca Mon 16-Jan-23 07:46:41

3 Dont keep a phone in the bedroom

Sorry not this. I’d need it if I fell (balance bad now plus muscle loss in legs. I literally take phone everywhere.) how else would I get help.

Not to mention family in Australia who might need to contact me.

Urmstongran Mon 16-Jan-23 08:05:04

Some really good ideas here. At our age we’ve often learned some good tips. If we share them, we can all benefit! Thank you for joining in.
😊

Urmstongran Mon 16-Jan-23 08:07:25

I take my phone to bed but put ‘message alerts’ on silent. They can wait till morning as a message isn’t urgent. A phone call in the middle of the night would be so I don’t put calls on silent. Just in case.

aggie Mon 16-Jan-23 08:07:59

Eye drops won’t come out of the pump if you haven’t taken off the cover ….. sigh

AussieGran59 Mon 16-Jan-23 08:20:38

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LRavenscroft Mon 16-Jan-23 08:25:09

Read knitting patterns and cake recipes carefully for best results. I tend to wing things and they end up second rate.

LRavenscroft Mon 16-Jan-23 08:30:22

JackyB

My father taught me at a very early age not to tell people all about myself and then not ask them about themselves. Listen and react to what your interlocutor has said. ( Many interviewers should remember this I stead of just reading off their list of questions)

The idea of remembering and writing down names and significant events of other people is a very good one.

Don't worry about what people will think of something you have said or how you look. They probably won't remember.

I enjoyed reading your post. Your father was right in his advice. I agree about the interviewers and add that some of them interrupt so you can't follow the conversation on TV. My retired dentist used to write down topics of conversation and would always ask the same question about pets and tell me about Avebury stone circle.

granfromafar Mon 16-Jan-23 08:38:39

Don't spend too much time reading GN posts while lying in bed in the morning when you should be getting up and doing things!

loopyloo Mon 16-Jan-23 08:48:49

That hits the nail on the head Gsfar!
Off I go to walk the dog.....

Urmstongran Mon 16-Jan-23 08:57:16

I didn’t realise until recently that you can put a different colour nail varnish on top of gel colour, which lasts for 3 weeks without chipping, to have ‘a change’ for a day then just take it off with nail varnish remover and back to the gel colour!

Juliet27 Mon 16-Jan-23 09:20:01

A place for everything and everything in its place would make life easier if I could stick to it!

Witzend Mon 16-Jan-23 09:29:12

welbeck

somebody told me the thing about storing bed linen in the pillowcase; it would have appealed to me in my teens and twenties. sense of order.
now i don't care what anything looks like.
don't have patterned things, but even if i did, would not try to have them matching.
i often feel out of step on here. c'est la vie.

It’s not for ‘a sense of order’ that I do it - just to make it that much easier to find the things in a crammed airing cupboard!

MrsKen33 Mon 16-Jan-23 09:52:05

Take out your words and look at them first, my Grandma’s favourite saying

lovebeigecardigans1955 Mon 16-Jan-23 10:00:43

One thing I've learned is that if you have an opinion you don't have to share it, especially if it's negative. I grew up in an argumentative environment and it was quite toxic, looking back. It is entirely possible to disagree with someone without becoming disagreeable.

Also, unwelcome jobs can seem less overwhelming if you tackle them in small steps with possibly a reward for completion. Those rewards don't have to be edible.

Friendships require cultivation, don't be afraid to make the first move,

dragonfly46 Mon 16-Jan-23 11:07:29

I learned especially when the children were little not to react immediately to anything they told me but to sleep on it. There were a number of mothers at the school who were always falling out over their children's antics only to find that the children had made up and it was forgotten.

I tend to be impulsive but have learned that it is better to sleep on things before making a decision.

Forestflame Mon 16-Jan-23 11:50:47

Some really good tips on here. Thank you @Urmstongran for starting it.