People have been sharing the small, adult cheat codes they wish they’d learned earlier – 17 life hacks that make being a grown up easier
As any adult will tell you, daily life can easily feel like a bit of a struggle at times. With work and personal commitments to juggle, it’s a miracle we’re all managing it.
If only there were some handy tips that could help us on our way. Luckily, it turns out there are! And they’ve come courtesy of X user @Mubarak_mubious, who turned to the hive mind of social media to ask the following question:
what’s one “small adult cheat code” you wish you learned earlier ??
— mubiouš (@Mubarak_mubious) February 2, 2026
Make your life easier by putting these top replies into action today…
1.
That discomfort you’re avoiding? It’s probably pointing directly at your next breakthrough. Most growth lives on the other side of the thing you keep postponing.
— ESC (@escapism_ai) February 2, 2026
2.
One small adult cheat code I really wish I learned earlier:
No one is coming to remind you.
Bills, deadlines, rest, boundaries, happiness it’s all self-managed.A few more that hit hard once you learn them:
•Consistency beats motivation every single time.
•Sleep is not…— Abubakar A Sadeeq (@sadixxy) February 2, 2026
3.
Realizing ‘No’ is a complete sentence. You don’t need a funeral to attend or a fake stomach flu to skip a brunch you don’t want to go to. Just say ‘I’m not gonna make it’ and go back to your Minecraft world. The peace is unmatched.
— BlueBriefing (@Uzonna7) February 2, 2026
4.
Batch cooking and meal preparation.
Learning to cook in bulk saves time, money and stress.— ASIA (@chiASIAprecious) February 2, 2026
5.
Do everything immediately. https://t.co/A1lTV49bQP
— Danny that Guy (@DannythatGuy) February 2, 2026
6.
Your soft skills will take you further than your degree.
Communication is a superpower. https://t.co/WEdtdTEPrz
— •Oreoluwa• (@mz_spiff) February 2, 2026
7.
Adulting life hack: clean your room before going out, it feels good coming back to a clean place. https://t.co/ZojOfH36h8
— كوين لطيفة🦋 (@Oyinkaan) February 2, 2026
8.
A bath, a meal and a good night sleep can solve a lot of your problems https://t.co/gTOG3SjmIA
— Nyatsimba Mutotesi (@timiretimzzy2) February 3, 2026
9.
Nobody is coming to save you, work hard and act accordingly financially 📌
— November (@SheilahCandy) February 2, 2026