---
title: "Helpful Little Tips for Life"
date: 2008-12-07
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> For AI agents: a documentation index is available at https://idratherbewriting.com/llms.txt. Markdown versions of all pages are available by appending .md to any page URL.

# Helpful Little Tips for Life

Today I bring you a random compilation of helpful little tips -- for work, for home, or for dealing with kids, etc. -- that I've learned in life.

1. If you're **tired at work**, rotate tasks on the half hour to stay productive.
2. If you want to **save money on toys**, take your kids to a thrift store and let each child choose his or her own toy.
3. If your **bath tub drains slowly**, remove the plug and use a bent coat hook to pull out the endless hair that's stopping it up.
4. If your **kid is having trouble riding a bike**, remove the pedals, lower the seat, and let the kid scuttle along until he or she is ready for the pedals again.
5. If your **kids act like hooligans in stores**, get a small umbrella stroller and let one of the kids push another kid (it keeps them occupied a bit more).
6. If you **need better sleep at night**, turn off all sources of light (light prolongs the body's circadian rhythm) and sleep in total darkness.
7. If your **kids resist having their teeth brushed**,brush in the rhythm of a song (e.g., "monkeys up, monkeys down, monkeys left ...").
8. If you **dread folding immense piles of laundry**, pop in headphones and listen to a podcast while folding.
9. If you **lose your cell phone**, call it with Skype.
10. If you **have writer's block**, immerse yourself in information from books, listservs, RSS feeds, and presentations.

And one bonus tip: If something is hard to do, do it every day.