Some stress-relieving hacks involve taking care of things NOW, so you don’t have to worry about doing them in the future. Like the “5-Second Rule.” If you drop a mozzarella stick on the floor, pick it up and eat it within five seconds, so you don’t have to clean it up a week from now.
Someone on social media asked, “What is your ‘I do this now, so FUTURE ME doesn’t suffer’ habit?” Here are some highlights:
1. “Cleaning up my home on Thursday, so when I come home from work on Friday evening I can immediately start to relax and enjoy the weekend.”
2. “Doing my dishes right after eating.”
3. “Getting my clothes ready the night before for the next morning.”
4. “Going to the gym and doing mobility exercises, for middle-aged me.”
5. “Flossing my teeth.”
6. “Getting gas after work, instead of before.”
7. “Saving money,” and “investing in the stock market or retirement accounts.”
8. “Preparing the coffee maker the night before.”
9. “Getting ahead on work for next week.”
10. “Writing everything down right away so future me isn’t stuck trying to remember what past me forgot.”
11. “Pulling my socks off so that they are NOT inside out. It makes folding laundry that much quicker.”
12. “Treating my children well.” (For when they need to take care of YOU.)
13. “Wiping down the shower glass after every use.”
14. “Flushing my baby’s poop from the diaper, instead of tossing it in the trash.” (???)
15. “Nah man. [Eff] that tomorrow me guy.”
