Life Hacks Manifesto

Life Hack Manifesto (a life hack for making life hacks)

Life hacks reveal the potential of an object.

Life hacks are about providing a context that elicits invention.

A life hack is not a product you can buy.

Life hacks are novel.

Making “productive” spaces

Leisure space —> Workspace

Workspace —> Leisure space

Creating solutions for the entreprecariat worker who is chained to a laptop, and stressed out of her mind.

1. Using objects differently

At home:
Using a wooden plank across an armchair/bath to creake a makeshift desk
Swap 2 pieces of furniture from your office with those in your home

At work:
Exercising in your office by using a computer cable as a jumprope
Swap 2 pieces of furniture from your home with those in your office

2. Re-engineering systems to produce different results

A script that takes all of your files and puts them in one folder, effectively cutting down the data tree
Using Greasemonkey to customise web pages by styling them on the fly.

3. Simulating life in a virtually-free domain

At home:
A videogame that you play when you have finished work in order to relieve stress. The game is set within your normal workspace, and the other players are the people you work with (in multiplayer mode). The physical workspace is replicated in the simulation, with alterations made based on sensors in your office. The tasks are your normal worktasks, which you can do if you like, or not. “Second Worklife”.

At work:
A videogame that you play when you are at work in order to take care of domestic responsibilities. The game is set within your home, and the other players are the people you live with (in multiplayer mode). The physical home is replicated in the simulation, with alterations made based on sensors in your home. The tasks are your normal housework, which you can do if you like, or not. “Second Homelife”.

4. Delineating space

If you work from home, mark out lines that separate your workspace from your non-workspace with tape on the floor. The visual cue will remind you to only do appropriate tasks in the appropriate spaces.