50 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do

50 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do Self-reliance is a vital key to living a healthy, productive life. To be self-reliant one must master a basic set of skills, more or less making them a jack of all trades. Contrary to what you may have learned in school, a jack of all trades is far more equipped to deal with life than a specialized master of only one. While not totally comprehensive, here is a list of 50 things everyone should know how to do. 1. Build a Fire – Fire produces heat and light, two basic necessities for living. At some point in your life this knowledge may be vital. How to Build a Fire Wilderness Survival Firecraft Build a Fire Without Matches or a Lighter (video) 2. Operate a Computer – Fundamental computer knowledge is essential these days. Please, help those in need. How To Help Someone Use a Computer The BBC’s Guide to Using a Computer Mac Basics Windows Basics 3. Use Google Effectively – Google knows everything. If you’re having trouble finding something with Google, it’s you that needs help. Google Guide Google Advanced Search Operators Google Web Search Features 20 Tips for More Efficient Google Searches 4. Perform CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver – Someday it may be your wife, husband, son or daughter that needs help. Learn CPR How To Perform Adult CPR (video) How CPR Works How to Perform the Heimlich Maneuver (video) 5. Drive a Manual Transmission Vehicle – There will come a time when you’ll be stuck without this knowledge. How To Drive a Stick Shift Instructional Movie (video) Learn to Drive a Stick Shift Learn to Drive a Car with Manual Transmission 6. Do Basic Cooking – If you can’t cook your own steak and eggs, you probably aren’t going to make it. Cooking Basics and Tips Cooking and Baking How To Information Basics of Cooking Series 7. Tell a Story that Captivates People’s Attention – If you can’t captivate their attention, you should probably just save your breath. How To Tell a Great Story How To Give a Great Speech Presentation Tips for Public Speaking 8. Win or Avoid a Fistfight – Either way, you win. How To Actually Win a Fistfight How To Win a Fistfight (video) How To Win a Street Fight How To Avoid Confrontations Like a Samurai Warrior 9. Deliver Bad News – Somebody has got to do it. Unfortunately, someday that person will be you. How To Deliver Bad News in Writing How to Deliver Bad News to a Customer Good Ways to Deliver Bad News 10. Change a Tire – Because tires have air in them, and things with air in them eventually pop. How To Change a Flat Tire (video) How To Change a Tire (video) Saturday Mechanic: Changing a Tire 11. Handle a Job Interview – I promise, sweating yourself into a nervous panic won’t land you the job. The 25 Most Difficult Questions in a Job Interview Job Interview Questions and Answers How to Handle Your Job Interviews Successfully 10 Sticky Job Interview Situations and How to Handle Them 12. Manage Time – Not doing so is called wasting time, which is okay sometimes, but not all the time. How To Manage Time and Maximize Effectiveness Managing Your Time 10 tips for time management in a multitasking world Time Management Tips and Exercises 13. Speed Read – Sometimes you just need the basic gist, and you needed it 5 minutes ago. Learn Speed Reading How To Speed Read the Net Speed Reading Techniques 14. Remember Names – Do you like when someone tries to get your attention by screaming “hey you”? How To Remember People’s Names Tricks for Remembering Names 7 Hacks to Remember Any Name 15. Relocate Living Spaces – Relocating is always a little tougher than you originally imagined. Moving Tips and Guidelines Moving and Relocation Guides Moving Tips 16. Travel Light – Bring only the necessities. It’s the cheaper, easier, smarter thing to do. Travel Light with One Bag Pack Light and Travel Happy Packing Light and Right 17. Handle the Police – Because jail isn’t fun… and neither is Bubba. What to Do If You’re Stopped by the Police How To Handle the Cops if They Knock on Your Door How To Handle the Police 18. Give Driving Directions – Nobody likes driving around in circles. Get this one right the first time. How To Give a Complete Stranger Driving Directions How To Give Directions Giving Good Driving Directions 19. Perform Basic First Aid – You don’t have to be a doctor, or genius, to properly dress a wound. First Aid Guide Understanding First Aid Common First Aid Topics 20. Swim – 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. Learning to swim might be a good idea. How To Teach a Child to Swim Swimming Breathing Basics Find Swimming Lessons Near You 21. Parallel Park – Parallel parking is a requirement on most standard driver’s license driving tests, yet so many people have no clue how to do it. How could this be? How To Parallel Park a Car (video) How To Parallel Park (video) How To Parallel Park 22. Recognize Personal Alcohol Limits – Otherwise you may wind up like this charming fellow. Alcohol: Know Your Limits Know Your Limits Alcohol Consumption Info 23. Select Good Produce – Rotten fruits and vegetables can be an evil tease and an awful surprise. Produce Primer: Selecting the Best Tips on Choosing Produce and Keeping it Fresh Buying Fresh Vegetables 24. Handle a Hammer, Axe or Handsaw – Carpenters are not the only ones who need tools. Everyone should have a basic understanding of basic hand tools. How To Safely Use a Hammer How To Safely Use an Axe (video) How To Choose and Use a Handsaw 25. Make a Simple Budget – Being in debt is not fun. A simple budget is the key. Money 101 - Making a Budget How To Make a Budget and Stick To It How To Make a Budget That Works 26. Speak at Least Two Common Languages – Only about 25% of the world’s population speaks English. It would be nice if you could communicate with at least some of the remaining 75%. Free Online Language Courses Learn a Foreign Language Online Free Language Learning with Rosetta Stone 27. Do Push-Ups and Sit-Ups Properly – Improper push-ups and sit-ups do nothing but hurt your body and waste your time. How To Do a Proper Push-Up Chris Comfort’s Push-Up Workout (video) 19 Variations for a Push-Up (video) How To Do Sit-Ups (video) How To Do an Abdominal Crunch (video) 28. Give a Compliment – It’s one of the greatest gifts you can give someone, and it’s free. How To Give a Good Compliment 5 Kick-Ass Reasons to Give a Genuine Compliment How To Give a Killer Compliment 10 Best Compliments a Man Can Give a Woman 29. Negotiate – The better deal is only a question or two away. How To Negotiate Like an Indian Salary Negotiation Tips Win-Win Negotiation 30. Listen Carefully to Others – The more you listen and the less you talk, the more you will learn and the less you will miss. Tips on Effective Listening Listening Tips for the Classroom Environment Techniques for Active Listening 31. Recite Basic Geography – If you don’t know where anything is outside of your own little bubble, most people will assume (and they are probably correct) that you don’t know too much at all. Maps and Geography of the World USA Geography Map Games Test Your Geography Knowledge 32. Paint a Room – The true cost of painting is 90% labor. For simple painting jobs it makes no sense to pay someone 9 times what it would cost you to do it yourself. Painting Tips (video) House Painting Guide DIY Painting Tips and Tools 33. Make a Short, Informative Public Speech – At the next company meeting if your boss asks you to explain what you’ve been working on over the last month, a short, clear, informative response is surely your best bet. “Duhhh…” will not cut it. How To Conquer the Public Speaking Fear Better Public Speaking and Presentation How To Write an Informative Speech 34. Smile for the Camera – People that absolutely refuse to smile for the camera suck! How To Smile for the Camera How To Be Photogenic How To Smile with Your Eyes 35. Flirt Without Looking Ridiculous – There is a fine line between successful flirting and utter disaster. If you try too hard, you lose. If you don’t try hard enough, you lose. Guide to Flirting Flirt Without Frightening The Rules of Flirtation The Science of Romance: Why We Flirt 36. Take Useful Notes – Because useless notes are useless, and not taking notes is a recipe for failure. Various Note Taking Systems Note Taking Skills and Guidelines Take Study-worthy Lecture Notes 37. Be a Respectful House Guest – Otherwise you will be staying in a lot of hotels over the years. 10 Ways to Be and Excellent House Guest How To Be a Good House Guest Have A Pleasant Visit By Following A Few House Rules 38. Make a Good First Impression – Aristotle once said, “well begun is half done.” How To Make those First Impressions Count Making a Great First Impression Tips for Making a Good First Impression 39. Navigate with a Map and Compass – What happens when the GPS craps out and you’re in the middle of nowhere? How To Use a Compass Alone Using a Compass Alongside a Map Navigate with a Map and Compass 40. Sew a Button onto Clothing – It sure is cheaper than buying a new shirt. How To Sew a Button How To Sew a Button On (video) 41. Hook Up a Basic Home Theater System – This isn’t rocket science. Paying someone to do this shows sheer laziness. How the Home Theater Works Home Theater Hookup Home Theater Installation Tips 42. Type – Learning to type could save you days worth of time over the course of your lifetime. Online Typing Lessons for Everyone Free Typing Lessons for the Standard QWERTY Keyboard Free Touch Typing Program 43. Protect Personal Identity Information – Personal identity theft is not fun unless you are the thief. Don’t be careless. FTC’s Identity Theft Site Identity Theft Info (video) How Identity Theft Works 44. Implement Basic Computer Security Best Practices – You don’t have to be a computer science major to understand the fundamentals of creating complex passwords and using firewalls. Doing so will surely save you a lot of grief someday. 4 Steps to Protect Your Computer Security Basics for Home Computers SANS Basic Computer Security Whitepapers 45. Detect a Lie – People will lie to you. It’s a sad fact of life. How To Detect Bullshit Identify a Lie with 6 Simple Questions How To Detect Lies 46. End a Date Politely Without Making Promises – There is no excuse for making promises you do not intend to keep. There is also no reason why you should have to make a decision on the spot about someone you hardly know. Tips for The End of a Date Tips for Ending a Bad Date How To End a Date Gracefully 47. Remove a Stain – Once again, it’s far cheaper than buying a new one. Effective Ways to Remove Laundry Stains DIY Cleaning and Stain Removal Stain Removal Articles 48. Keep a Clean House – A clean house is the foundation for a clean, organized lifestyle. The Keep-It-Clean Plan Keeping a Stress-Free, Clean House How To Keep Your House Clean in 20 Minutes a Day 49. Hold a Baby – Trust me, injuring a baby is not what you want to do. How To Hold a Baby (video) How To Hold a Baby 50. Jump Start a Car – It sure beats walking or paying for a tow truck. Edmunds Jump-Start How To How To Jump Start Your Car (video) DIY: Jump Start a Car Check out these books for more ideas on pertinent life skills: 3,684 Things You Should Have Learned but Probably Didn’t The New York Times Guide to Essential Knowledge The Experts’ Guide to 100 Things Everyone Should Know How to Do If you enjoyed this article, please subscribe to our RSS feed. Or subscribe via email. ======================================================================= Possibly Related Posts: No related posts 214 CommentsFiled under Hacks, Life, ProductivityHow To Live The Good Life The 7 Habits of Highly Happy People 214 Comments Derrick June 2nd, 2008 at 10:11 am COOL! Thanks. Laurie June 2nd, 2008 at 11:16 am As a teacher I am successful if I have taught my kiddos: Problem solving When to question what is going on around them How to research the answer (Similar to your Google tip) Stand up for what is right See criticism as an opportunity from growth Show and tell people you love them Did you have balance a check book on your list? soo June 2nd, 2008 at 12:17 pm Thanks much for the link love. Btw, I just subscribed. Jeff@MySuper-Charged Life June 2nd, 2008 at 2:32 pm Wow! This is a great resource list. I’m going to dive into these and learn a few things! Isn’t it funny how using Google effectively is included today with things like building a fire, cooking, and holding a baby? I rely on Google daily so it is a must. Great post! Yonghwee June 2nd, 2008 at 5:52 pm Great list! Just realized I have so much to learn.. Sara June 2nd, 2008 at 6:59 pm What a lovely list. I have some work to do. Lynnae June 2nd, 2008 at 8:09 pm Great list of resources! I need to learn a few things, it seems. Thanks for the link! Bob R June 2nd, 2008 at 8:28 pm Very Good, even at 60 there’s something more to learn…. Brian June 2nd, 2008 at 11:00 pm Basic statistics is another one to add to the list. I have heard many times that the best engineers are the ones that can quickly and accurately estimate the answer. If you can get close you know if it is worth the effort of solving the problem. Knowledge is Never Wasted June 2nd, 2008 at 11:18 pm […] you’re bored, on vacation, looking for inspiration, or trying to shake thing up, reference THIS ARTICLE. It’s a list of 25 things any self-reliant person should know how to do. I consider myself […] Marc June 2nd, 2008 at 11:56 pm @All: Thanks for all the kind words and additional tips! I’m sure this list could hit 500 if we really thought hard enough. Debbie Morgan June 3rd, 2008 at 2:01 am These things are GREAT! I totally agree. Everyone should know how to do these things and so much more. Marc is so right. The list could grow because there are so many basic life skills to learn. There should be a class for this in our public schools. From first grade all the way through to graduation where our kids are taught age appropriate life skills so when they go into the world they are prepared. I would expand on number 8 though. Women sometimes can’t win or avoid a fight, especially if they are being attacked so learning how to purchase and use some sort of self defense product would be helpful. A lot of women don’t even know products like this are available to the average citizen. Good article. I especially appreciate the way you not only gave us the life skill but links to where it is taught. Great job! Better Communication Results » links for 2008-06-03 June 3rd, 2008 at 11:35 am […] 50 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do | Marc and Angel Hack Life WOW! A fabulous list of life ‘howto’s and videos and text to help you do them. E.g. remove a stain, jump start a car, paint a room, remember names, speed read, travel light, handle a job interview, hold a baby, deliver bad news, build a fire, perform cpr (tags: advice article blog communication cook education fun good tips interesting learning useful skills lifehacks howto) […] Dat Nguy June 3rd, 2008 at 10:17 pm I agree with the teacher who inquired about checkbook balancing. So many young people today do not know how to manage their finances at all. Finance balancing and avoiding bad credit practices should definitely be on the list. MONICA June 3rd, 2008 at 11:22 pm actually, the Heimlich Maneuver is incredibly dangerous and liable to cause more harm. there are much safer ways to assist a choking person. stjohn.org.au has fact sheets on how to properly assist a person with an obstructed airway. Karl Staib - Your Work Happiness Matters June 4th, 2008 at 9:11 am What a great list! I need help with remembering people’s names, negotiating, and speed reading. I could probably use this whole list, but I’ll be starting in these categories first. I’m great at remembering people’s faces, but names are much harder. I admit I don’t take enough time to really imprint them on my brain. I really should because when that person I met last week stumbles into me, I feel bad that they know my name and I don’t know theirs. It’s a bad habit that I must break. Marc June 4th, 2008 at 9:58 am @Debbie: I completely agree with your point on female self-defense. It’s important. This list was gender neutral though, so I wanted to hit points that applied to both men and women. @Dat: Managing personal finances is certainly an important skill. I did include the act of creating a budget which sort of satisfies the issue. @Monica: Interesting information. I’ll have to look into this. @Karl: Remembering a person’s name is the key to cultivating new relationships. A person’s name is music to their ears, especially coming from someone they don’t know all that well. As always, thanks for keeping the conversation going. Great tips on life June 4th, 2008 at 1:07 pm Great list of things that one must be able to do or have in life. It is not hard to decipher everything right, but people do not wish to leave their comfort zones to really learn. It is a nice compilation and crisply told. God bless ya. Joan Adams June 4th, 2008 at 1:16 pm Excellent! This is the list of information our children should learn in school — or at home! Wish I had had this list when I was 18 years old! Wow! Matt @ Face Your Fork June 4th, 2008 at 2:10 pm Aww, darn, and the only thing on this list I don’t know how to do is start a fire! … actually, I don’t know how to do most of these, but the most useful one seems to be how to effectively tell a story. I’ll get right on to that. Great idea for a list, btw, I haven’t seen something like this anywhere else! Suzann June 4th, 2008 at 2:17 pm This is fabulous, guys! Wow. It’s smart, thoughtful, and totally HELPFUL. Thank you! sir jorge June 5th, 2008 at 12:11 am this is a spot on accurate list, good job E-1 June 6th, 2008 at 4:18 am 51: ride a bicycle barbara johnson June 7th, 2008 at 7:42 am Wow, you opened my eyes! What do we need to know a lot Seriously I really enjoyed my stay…. will be back!! Keep up the good work….o yes riding a bike is definitely a requirement. I study in Amsterdam for a year and a bike is a survival necessity here. Suicidal at home, survival here.. funny world! Windy May June 7th, 2008 at 2:58 pm Excellent List! It’s amazing how many people cannot perform many of these fundamental tasks. I am thankful to have been brought up knowing how to do many of these things…but there is always more to learn! I will be referencing this page when I have my own children ‘The Fundamentals of Life Training Checklist’! Oh, and I also think that learning how to properly read/write should be on there. It’s amazing how many people go through life still not knowing how to do this… Phil E. Drifter June 7th, 2008 at 6:06 pm I always give out-of-towners the wrong directions, I figure they want to explore the city. Phil E. Drifter June 7th, 2008 at 6:07 pm Oh btw, I don’t send them far in the wrong direction. and i dont send them in the completely opposite direction. And in all honesty i’m just kidding. I’m always wearing my earbuds as a sign: ‘don’t talk to me.’ If people try to talk to me anyway, i say ‘dont talk to me’ and glare at them. Waste someone else’s time, not mine. Links for Super-Charged Living - June 7, 2008 | My Super-Charged Life June 7th, 2008 at 6:36 pm […] Continual Learner 50 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do […] Jenny June 7th, 2008 at 11:15 pm I agree with the “How to start a fire”. My mother in law told me a story once that my brother in law and a friend of his tried to start a fire for something, probably a camping trip, and no matter what they did they couldn’t get one going. So maybe this is something I should show him. LOL james June 7th, 2008 at 11:38 pm One to add is at least once have something delivered in a transfer truck your your self i suggest a safe. Aries June 9th, 2008 at 7:32 pm This is the best compilation of very useful life-long tips I have come across. I call it “one-stop learning shop” Thanks. Joseph Bernard June 10th, 2008 at 1:07 pm Thank you Marc for putting together such a wonderful list of useful knowledge. Your time and effort will make a positive difference to many who take the time to explore these resources. I came to your site via StumbleUpon and I am glad to find you. I write about self-development, living with purpose and about progressive ideas to empower. Have a great week, Joseph http://www.ExploreLifeBlog.com http://www.peace-together.com http://www.marcandangel.com/2008/06/02/50-things-everyone-should-know-how-to-do/