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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask for your good habits so I can copy them!?

356 replies

cloverlover · 17/03/2022 11:24

On the look out for great new habits. What are yours? Here are a few of mine to start us off:

  • floss and use interdental in the shower
  • take one old item out of the fridge each time I open it
  • get dressed as soon as I get out of bed to avoid lounging in dressing gown

what are your great habits that help your life run smoothly? I'm in need of inspiration! thanks :)

OP posts:
Solosunrise · 18/03/2022 13:27

Thank you @ancientgran Flowers

Retrievemysanity · 18/03/2022 13:29

I check olio if I need anything from the shops. So many times there’s been what I need (usually bread!) on there so I save money and help avoid food waste.

Also got the DD’s in the habit of putting any rubbish from lunch, into the sandwich bag rather than just leaving it loose in the lunchboxes. This has made such a difference as I was always cleaning manky lunchboxes with bits of yoghurt and babybel rinds welded into them! DD’s also make their own sandwiches for the next day, straight after tea. That’s been a great habit.

Other one is dealing with school stuff asap so I check bags/emails when we get in from school run and sign any forms/put any events on calendar/pay anything due there and then. Stops bits of paper lying around on the worktops for ages and stops things like inset days/non uniform days/forest school etc being forgotten.

twoshedsjackson · 18/03/2022 13:35

I was never a morning person, so got into the habit of sorting out clothes for the next morning before going to bed (occasionally foiled by the weather, but heigh ho!). When I was working full time, my bag would be packed and ready near the front door as well. I also had a hideous alarm clock for really bad mornings, out of reach of my cosy bed......
Since being at home, I will use radio programmes to make me start on tasks I'm avoiding, eg whizzing round the kitchen telling myself it will be done before the next programme begins. I don't always hit the "deadline", but once the inertia is overcome, it's not so hard to keep going.
If a recipe is for four, don't halve or quarter the ingredients; make it in full and freeze half what you don't use immediately.

PoopTip · 18/03/2022 13:46

Name changed for this.

When going to the loo for a number two, put two sheets of loo roll side by side at the front of the pan.

Loo remains clean and sparkling with no marks.

RedPanda901 · 18/03/2022 13:54

[quote RandomBasic]@Hellorhighwater

I write on things with sharpie a lot. Label Tupperware in the freezer with It

I have a roll of masking tape that lives in the kitchen for this purpose. I write on the tape instead of directly on the lunchbox.[/quote]
Love this

itssunnytoday · 18/03/2022 13:56

Always put savings away as soon as I get paid 'pay yourself first'

Wear spf everyday

If you empty the kettle, always fill it back up so that the next person to use it can just simply press boil

I'm sure there's more but that's off the top of my head.. if anyone has tips on increasing water intake please let me know because I'm rubbish at this!

RedPanda901 · 18/03/2022 14:21

Always replace the bed linen after you've removed the old ones for washing - the number of times I used to go to bed late and discover this still need to be done 🥱

A dermatologist told me to always use a face cloth when cleansing your face - and change it every few days.

Prioritise something just for you every day.

If you're at home alone (the dream!) watch telly in the middle of the day. Feels so indulgent!

MissConductUS · 18/03/2022 14:24

Apologies if this has been mentioned before. I use my Amazon Echo to keep my shopping list. Every time I see that I'm low on something I just say "Alexa, add XXX to my shopping list" then in the store it's all in the Alexa app, sorted by produce, bakery, meat, etc.

HelloSunshine11 · 18/03/2022 14:29

Take one thing that doesn't belong in a room to where ever it does belong when I leave that room (ie cup back to kitchen when I leave the living room). Sounds pretty obvious but I'm the only person in this house that seems to have thought of it.

Scandisaurus22 · 18/03/2022 14:55

take one old item out of the fridge each time I open it

How much food waste do you have? Sounds more like a very bad habit.

Scandisaurus22 · 18/03/2022 14:57

Also flossing in the shower sounds like a big waste of water. 😂

Bogofftosomewherehot · 18/03/2022 14:59

Keep a printed calendar page of the current month on the front of the fridge. As an item goes in it's use by date is entered on the calendar, then at a glance can see what goes out of date soonest and needs eating. Have reduced food waste massively by doing this.

Solosunrise · 18/03/2022 15:05

Some excellent ideas in this thread! Please keep them coming Smile

Scandisaurus22 · 18/03/2022 15:08

@Mnusernc

I would bet my mortgage that 0% of men would include a clean sink as one of their good habits.
Mine probably would. 😬
TheHoptimist · 18/03/2022 15:13

I live by the adage- all you need in life is a passport and a credit card.

speakout · 18/03/2022 15:19

I live by the adage- all you need in life is a passport and a credit card.

Neither will work without money.

DillDanding · 18/03/2022 15:23

How old are you if you don't mind me asking @DillDanding?

I am 51.

I read somewhere about standing on one leg being important as you age & that you should be able to do it for at least 10 seconds with your eyes shut. When I started doing it whilst brushing my teeth it was no problem with my eyes open, but I could barely manage it with them closed. I can now do it for a minute each side, eyes closed, no problem.

Has this improved my life? No. But it feels like I’m staving off something, in some small way. Plus, 2 minutes of tooth brushing is less boring now.

speakout · 18/03/2022 15:29

Improving balance is very helpful as we grow older, especially as bones age too, making pelvic fractures common and dangerous.
I would suggest yoga or some other exercise to improve balance, though, and not someything to do whil brusing teeth.
My SIL tried to balance while brushing her teeth, fell, and had to have her toothbrush surgically removed from the back of her throat.
I know it was a freak accident, but I find the idea of any exercise with a toothbrush in your mouth quite triggering!!

Solosunrise · 18/03/2022 15:33

@DillDanding, thank you for your reply! I'm comforted to know that even in your 50s things can improve.
Another poster in her 70s said she improved too, so I am hopeful.
I discovered that I can stand on one leg for 20 seconds with my eyes closed, if I hold my arms out for balance.

I read similar, and I believe it's excellent for improving balance as well as bone strength, so will help to prevent falls as we age.

Solosunrise · 18/03/2022 15:34

@speakout

Improving balance is very helpful as we grow older, especially as bones age too, making pelvic fractures common and dangerous. I would suggest yoga or some other exercise to improve balance, though, and not someything to do whil brusing teeth. My SIL tried to balance while brushing her teeth, fell, and had to have her toothbrush surgically removed from the back of her throat. I know it was a freak accident, but I find the idea of any exercise with a toothbrush in your mouth quite triggering!!
Fuck!! This is what I feared about doing it with eyes shut tbh

How is your SIL now? Flowers

Ragwort · 18/03/2022 15:35

This thread has been really helpful and motivating - my day off today and I have been for two walks, drunk lots of water, done some batch cooking, theee loads of laundry, spring cleaned some cupboards, cleaned my toaster and sat and relaxed Smile.

speakout · 18/03/2022 16:03

Solosunrise

My SIL is fine now. An unpleasant accident though.

I do daily yoga - including balance, never with anything in my mouth!

Fairislefandango · 18/03/2022 16:04

Keep a printed calendar page of the current month on the front of the fridge. As an item goes in it's use by date is entered on the calendar, then at a glance can see what goes out of date soonest and needs eating. Have reduced food waste massively by doing this.

Hmmm. Good idea in principle. I'm always reading about things like this which sound like great ideas, but life is too short to do even a fraction of them. I like my good habits to make life easier rather than harder!

Iwanttenofthose · 18/03/2022 16:07

I appreciate this wouldn't work for everyone, but when I find a series or podcast I like enough to want to binge watch, I only listen to it or watch it when I'm exercising (I have a cross trainer at home so it's easy to watch things while I use it). It's the difference between me exercising or not, as I'll often squeeze in a lunchtime or evening workout purely because I want to watch / listen to the thing I like.

Iwanttenofthose · 18/03/2022 16:09

Oh and keeping cuticle oil in the car so I can put it on when I'm in a traffic jam or waiting to pick kids up. It's improved my nails no end and I never feel the need to use nail polish now because they look nice left natural (they used to be yellow and cracked).