I’ve written previously about playing mind games with yourself, and how effective just telling ourselves that we have an advantage can be. (It’s all an offshoot of faking it til you make it.)

An important corollary skill is identifying tricks that make you more effective, more productive, or just generally happier. What does it take to the best you?

I realized this morning that I no longer needed the Slack app in my iPhone doc. You could argue that I never needed Slack in my iPhone dock, but it was an app that I opened many times a day, and whose notifications I relied upon, so it held that place of honor.

But I’m no longer in Slacks for work. And that icon is taking up especially valuable real estate on my screen. It doesn’t need to be there.

So I removed it. And I haven’t replaced it yet.

Now I’m studying which apps I go to the most, which apps I search for the most, and evaluating what should get that place of honor. Keeping Slack in my dock made me faster and more responsive, which people love. Now I get to conclude what other app’s presence there can help me do something better. Maybe it’s Lex Friedman Consulting work. Maybe it’s being a better friend. Maybe it’s just something that makes me happy. Maybe it’s the New York Times Crossword Puzzle app, since I launch that puppy every day. (It won’t be the New York Times Crossword Puzzle app.)

Other cheat codes in my life: I am too tired to workout at the end of the day, so I always do it first thing. I take rest days rarely, but I never take a rest day on a day where I think to myself “Man, I don’t want to work out today.” Those are the days I know have to do it, because if I give in to my laziness or reticence, I fear I might never start again. Your mileage may vary. This is my cheat code.

I’ve mentioned that I put the person whose face I’m looking at on Zoom right under the camera. It makes it look — rightly! — like I’m looking at them.

If I get a little behind on email, I respond to newer emails first. I’ve already been slow to the people further down, so I can still impress the newer senders with speedier replies.

I use the Notes app, Reminders app, and Fantastical on my Mac and iOS devices to remember everything. My sister relies on Slack reminders. But I don’t forget to follow-up because I have notifications that won’t let me.

These are life cheat codes. They make me better. Find yours!