6 Annoying Things You Can Remove From Your Life Today
How many times have you checked the tracking number or opened your front door looking for that package you’re waiting on? How many spam calls have had you run to the other room where you left your phone thinking it was someone important ringing your phone? How many tubes of super glue have turned to stone between your first use and your second?
We have become very accustomed to dealing with small annoyances every day, but what if I told you that you could significantly reduce how much junk mail you get, how much of your information is on the internet, and how much super glue gets wasted?
Read on for 6 annoying things you can reduce today.
Reduce How Much of Your Personal Information is Online
No matter how much we value privacy, we are constantly providing our information online when filling out forms, signing up for free trials, registering to vote, etc. There is information about each of us floating around online at all times, and if this concerns you as much as it concerns me, there’s a way to make most of your information inaccessible online. Though, let’s be clear, some personal information is public record depending on which state you live in and cannot be removed from the internet.
For everything else, I am a big fan of the DeleteMe service, which helps you get your personal info deleted from the internet to avoid identity theft and doxxing. If you want to try DeleteMe, my friend referral link here gets you 20% off. I've been a member now for 3+ years and have found it absolutely worth it.
Reduce Spam Calls
Because so much of our information is accessible, it’s easy for unwanted callers to find our phone numbers. And if you tend to get a lot of calls from unknown numbers, which most of us do, you may be tempted to answer the phone—whether to see if the call is legit or to give the caller a piece of your mind.
I once was in a car with my friend, Ash, debating whether to answer a call from an unknown number. He asked me, "How often does it work out well to answer those random calls?" The answer was nearly never. And if someone really needed me, they'd leave a voicemail or text me and I could call back. Since then, I don't answer unknown numbers.
When you answer spam calls, it lets the spammer know there’s a live person on the other end who they can pester with more spam calls. But even if you don’t answer unknown numbers, many of us still constantly get spam calls and texts. Here are two resources to help you reduce this particular annoyance:
Consult the Federal Trade Commission’s consumer guide on stopping unwanted robocalls and texts
Read this article from Wirecutter—it’s a good roundup of what to do about spam calls, including steps for everyone plus specific recommendations based on your cell phone carrier
This article from DeleteMe about how to stop robo phone calls is also helpful
Reduce Junk Mail
Another source of unwanted solicitation is junk mail. How much time have you spent sorting through piles of mail only to realize 80% of it is junk—coupons you don’t want, credit card offers you don’t need, advertisements for services you’ll never use?
It would be nice to cut some of that out and regain time in your day, wouldn’t it?
Well, Better Report has a few suggestions for you to try:
Opt out of credit card offers via OptOutPrescreen.com
Opt out of catalogs via Catalog Choice or using the Paper Karma app
Opt out of direct marketing via the Direct Marketing Association (this costs a few dollars but I find it made a big impact for reducing our junk mail so I think it was worth it!)
DeleteMe adds a few other helpful suggestions on how to remove yourself from junk mail lists.
Reduce Trips to the Mailbox
If you tend to avoid checking the mailbox because it’s mostly junk mail and bills, but you’re anticipating a particular piece of mail or package, you may end up constantly checking the tracking number or opening your front door to see if it has arrived. There’s an easier way.
If you're based in the U.S. like me, sign up for Informed Delivery with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). It's free and emails you a picture of the mail en route to your mailbox.
If you’re not in the U.S., check with your local mailing service and see if they have a similar option available.
Reduce Super Glue Waste
You know how it is when you buy a tube of super glue and use it to fix something small—the piece of vase that chipped a little, a doll hand that was accidentally snapped off, a Christmas ornament that broke in half during last year’s packing up—then cap it and stuff it in the back of a drawer until the next time you need to glue something else. Then, the next time you take it out there’s glue caked around the top and no matter how hard you squeeze, you can’t seem to get any more glue out because it’s turned to stone.
Single-use mini superglues can help you avoid all of that! These tiny tubes of super glue come in packs of 4 or more and have just enough product in each tube to be used once and then thrown out. I've been using these for a while and they work so well.
No more fighting with dried-up superglue or trashing full-sized tubes because you can’t get any more product out!
Reduce Motion Sickness
If you (or someone you love) tend to experience motion sickness while traveling, these glasses might provide some relief. The liquid in the glasses' rims adjusts with the vehicle's movement (be it car or boat) and creates an artificial horizon that allows you to feel more stable, reducing or eliminating motion sickness.
We have kid-sized ones and adult-sized ones in our car and they've made a meaningful difference for us.
For a medicated solution when you're going on a cruise or something where you're worried about motion sickness, ask your doctor for prescription scopolamine patches. I studied abroad on a ship as a college student decades ago and these made a huge difference while in rocky seas for me.
Want more tips?
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About The Author
Jessica Eastman Stewart is a consultant, workshop facilitator, and podcast guest expert. She teaches busy professionals how to get more organized at home and at work so they can stop feeling worn out and start living a Joyfully Managed Life! Thousands of readers drop everything when her weekly newsletter, The Friday Five, arrives in their inbox. Every Friday, you’ll get FIVE amazing tips to help life feel INSTANTLY more joyful and easy!
