14 Shortcuts to Everyday Tasks

If you know me, you know I'm a shortcut taker. When driving I take shortcuts. In day to day activities I take shortcuts where I can. Now, this isn't meaning that I don't get the job done or even that I do a half ass job, I just look for ways to be more efficient. So let's see what Real Simple says about shortcuts...

1. Running Errands - Plan your stops in order of a clockwise direction, then you won't have to make any time consuming left hand turns.
2. Dry your Tears - After cutting an onion, stick your head in the freezer. The cold air will stop the tears and reduce redness and puffiness. Not near a freezer? Dab, don't wipe away the wetness.
   
3. Keep a Journal - Who here keeps a journal or diary of some sort? If yes, who here lags in writing in their journal? But who here sends updates of your life via email to friends and family (or in a blog)? Print 'em up and glue 'em down! Tada, now you're caught up with your journal.
   
4. Turn Day Wear into Evening Wear - Work is over and you're ready to go out for cocktails. Keep in your car an extra pair of earrings, a lightweight shawl, a fancy pair of shoes, some black eyeliner (for smoky look) and some peach blush. You've just transformed your outfit in a matter of minutes.
5. Get Cut Flowers to Bloom - Cut stems at an angle, then place in a vase of warm water.
   
6. Speak a Foreign Language - Instead of taking a course, just get a little pocket language book. Instead of learning the entire language, just learn a few key phrases.
   
7. Get Your Daily Vitamins - Eat cereal, like Total, that's fortified with loads of vitamins and minerals. And if you drink the milk it counts as a serving of dairy!
8. Buy Clothes without Trying them On - Make a mental note of how your favorite clothes "look on you" when you hold them up to your body. Then when you're out shopping you can hold up your options and avoid having to try them on.
9. Catch up on Current Events - Scan sites like cnn.com for headlines. Have a station like C Span on in the background while you pay bills.
   
10. Duck out of a Party - If you know you need to be somewhere and will have to leave early, tell the host once you get there. If the party is a complete doozy, skip out and call (of send a thank you note) the host the next day thanking for a great time and apologizing for leaving early.
11. Do Your Math After Spicy Food - When you find you've eaten something a bit too spicy for your taste buds, don't run for water. Eat bread or rice. Or try dairy products. You can't handle the spice?
12. Thaw Meat - Whatever you do, don't zap it in the microwave. That will just start the cooking process, from the inside out. Instead, soak your meat (in a water tight bag) in cold water for about 2 hours before needing to cook it.
    
13. Feed and Water Plants - Cut your watering time in half by adding some Osmocote and Soil Moist to the soil when you pot your plants. Osmocote, a slow releasing fertilizer, feeds the plants each watering and Soil Moist, a water retaining polymer, maintains moisture.
14. Get to Know Someone - The quickest way to get to know someone is to be quiet. Just let them do the talking.
    

So there you have it. 14 easy shortcuts.

Did you learn anything new? Do you have any tips to add?