Life Hacks… Shortcuts to Mediocrity

Do you really want to apply the best life hacks to your life?

We see them everywhere life hacks.  But what are they really?

Wikipedia says they are any trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method that increases productivity and efficiency, in all walks of life.

Cambridge English Dictionary states to hack is to cut into pieces in a rough and violent way, often without aiming exactly (the example given referred to hacking up a body… wth, really?!)

To call someone a hack is to say they're not great at what they do — especially writing… ouch!

Nowhere do I see any references to increasing enjoyment of life, love of life, or more authentic living.

Let’s go back to the Wiki definition.   We all want to be more efficient, I get that.  We want to save time, but why?  We want to be more productive, but why?  I know I’m sounding like a toddler now with all these “whys”.  But really, why do we want to shortcut through life?

We say we want to be more efficient so we can, what, have more time for, what…?

• For introspection? 

• For personal development? 

• For walking in nature?

• Or more time for more work. 

I’m guessing the latter is likely the true answer.

I’m sure there are some hacks that are quite helpful and may save a bit of time, however, do we really need to spend the time to remove highlighter marker from a book with a lemon and a Q-Tip? Could you possibly be doing something more productive with your time?

Using a wooden clothes pin to hold a nail while you’re hammering may save your fingers. I mean, we all have wooden clothes pins lying around, right? Do kids these days even know what a clothes pin is?

You could put your pancake batter into a squeeze bottle and make perfectly round pancakes every time. But where’s the fun in that? The anticipation of whether the last one cooked will be better than the first is a part of home pancake making. As is deciding who gets the funky looking ones.

Why live a hacked off, mediocre life?

Just because something is a hack, doesn’t mean it’s beneficial or life improving.

Enjoy the highlighter marks. It gives a book character. You can wonder instead what the previous reader wanted to be reminded of with those highlighted lines. And the bruised fingers are a rite of passage (and an effective way of learning to slow down and be mindful of every - single - task.) And eat your pancakes, charred bits and all, even the ugly ones.

If it’s worth doing at all, it’s worth doing fully engaged and not hacked.

We don’t need to be hacking though life, but rather, observing, enjoying, and living each moment fully.   Find beauty and joy in the mundane, and stop hacking away your life.

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Looking for more ways to live a fully engaged, authentic life without needing hacks? Check out www.thelifewalk.com