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10 Understated Common Sense Tips you Must Know if you Do Not Already

Updated on March 2, 2013

Here I count down some things that a lot of people assume go without saying but that some people know nothing about. On the other hand, some items I list can seem quite random, but no less useful in your daily life. If your life changes for the better in a small way because of at least one or two of these tips, then I am satisfied:

1. Online Job Application

When you submit your resume digitally, be sure to save and send it as a PDF or other file type that cannot be edited. I have only once seen this specified in the application details as it is often taken for granted as a standard aspect of professionalism.

2. Washing your Hair

While washing your hair, be sure that you are not scratching your scalp with your fingernails. Rather than necessary exfoliation, scratching your scalp on a regular basis will cause consistent irritation and ultimately worsen dandruff and psoriasis.

3. Don't Leave the Faucet Running while Brushing your Teeth

I was initially shocked when I learned how common it is for people to leave the water running between wetting their toothbrushes and rinsing their mouths. Since it is recommended to brush your teeth at least twice a day for at least one minute at a time, it can quickly add up to an immense waste of water.

4. Bring Baby Powder

While getting towels, swimming attire, sunscreen, boogie boards and all of that jazz in order, people very often forget about baby powder. As I outline in detail in one of my other hubs, a trip to the beach can do wonders for your health, but the sand and salt water can cause some serious skin irritation, especially when you have a long way to walk at the end of the day. A simple can of baby powder will save you a lot of grief and discomfort, especially if you have sensitive skin. Responsible parents should always know to bring baby powder to the beach for their young children.

5. Moisturize with your Ring Finger

It is a natural impulse for people to apply moisture cream under their eyes with their index fingers as it allows for maximum dexterity. However, using your weaker ring fingers will spare the sensitive skin under your eyes a lot of stress and potential damage over time.

6. Lay Out the Ingredients

This is one my older sister shared with me a long time ago. It should have been obvious, but it was something that had never occurred to me before. Before baking, be sure to double-check the recipe and lay out all of the ingredients you will need to make sure you have enough of everything and that you are not missing any crucial ingredients before you actually start baking.

7. Let There Be Light

This is a tip to help you avoid sleeping in. If you have a terrible habit of sleeping well into the day, a very effective solution to help motivate you to wake up and get out of bed earlier is to do away with curtains and blinds in your bedroom while you sleep. Letting sunlight creep into your room in the morning will gently wake you up and discourage you from falling back to sleep.

8. Write it Hot, Send it Cool

This one is a classic, but could do with a renewal. When you write an angry or highly opinionated letter or message in the heat of the moment, wait at least 12 hours before actually submitting or sending it to its intended audience. You do not want to do something in a bothered mood that you will regret after you have simmered down.

9. Don't Abuse the Relationship Status

This goes out to all you facebook users. I know I discuss this in my hub on tacky facebook behaviour, but it is something I just can’t stress enough. I recommend ignoring this feature altogether. The people who really matter to you are already aware of your relationship and the whole world doesn’t need to know every time you and your significant other have a slip up. The worst is when people in a yoyo relationship constantly change their digital relationship status to reflect their ups and downs.

10. Don't Drink your Calories!

This is probably the most important for its health implications. We can all agree that America is in the grips of an obesity epidemic. The number one cause of this is actually quite surprising: sugared drinks. Namely, fizzy drinks and soda. The body does not recognize the calories of sugared drinks as acutely as it does calories from solid food. If you add sugary drinks to every meal, you are potentially adding an extra meal’s worth of calories to your diet every day. The most common sugar in these products is high fructose corn syrup. This is a very nasty processed sugar that puts an immense strain on your pancreas and causes appetite driving insulin spikes.

* * *

Again, I hope you found something useful amongst this disjointed list of daily tips. If you are sitting on any such tips yourself that you think would make a small but meaningful impact in someone’s life, feel free to drop one in the comment section below for others to benefit from.

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