Things you do out of habit which are utterly pointless

Always start shaving on the right side, I’ve tried starting on the left and it’s really weird.

Elsewhere on the Internet recently, there was a poll.  Apparently there is a percentage of people who, when getting dressed of a morning, will put on one sock and one shoe then repeat for the other side.

I put a little line in the middle of the number ‘7’ whenever I write it. I can’t not.

I do this too 🙂 Zeroes as well. It’s an engineering thing, isn’t it?

It’s a European thing (France, probably others). Sevens have strikethroughs because ones have a much more pronounced upstroke than we’d write, almost like an inverted V.

Running the cold tap for a bit before filling a cup of water/kettle/whatever

I think it came from water sitting in lead pipes overnight? Of which there are none in our 9 year old house

It’s a European thing (France, probably others). Sevens have strikethroughs because ones have a much more pronounced upstroke than we’d write, almost like an inverted V.

Yep they need to clearly differentiate the 7s from the 1s, especially in France

Bite my nails…. I start and then think “why not get the nail clippers out and do it properly”.

put a little line in the middle of the number ‘7’ whenever I write it

I do this, but it’s down to living in Germany for years. How’ve, I refuse to write a 1 like an upturned, slanted “V”.

I do 7s like that, I’m not German but my Grandma was, my writing just evolved that way.

Also I’ll join the even numbers brigade. The boy put the tv on thirteen the other day, I nearly throttled him. New car doesn’t have a numerical scale for volume which I find massively annoying as I can’t find a sweet spot without trying to remember the number of button presses.

“Apparently there is a percentage of people who, when getting dressed of a morning, will put on one sock and one shoe then repeat for the other side.”

This is the way to go when dressing a baby or infant. Once you have got hold of a limb, dress it in everything, then move on to the next.

“any more and she would have started*” after any suitable fart.

Pointless.

But still makes me laugh.

(*Other phrases too. I just have to comment)

‘More choke and it would have started’ ISTR.  See also

‘More tea Vicar’?

‘Keep shouting sir we’ll find you’ (as a young squaddie).

Running the cold tap for a bit before filling a cup of water/kettle/whatever

When getting water from a tap I empty and refill glasses, etc three times. No idea why.

Try to be helpful.  You’d think I’d learn by now.

Apparently, there is a percentage of people who, when getting dressed in the morning, will put on one sock and one shoe and then repeat for the other side.

Wearing shoes in the bedroom? Dirty gits.

If I have a drink which leaves a wet ring when moved, generally in a pub, I find myself putting down next to the previous ring after every sip, Building a shape of ‘rings’, that musn’t overlap. I’ve been doing it for many years and only notice I’m doing it when someone asks what it means or why. I’ve yet to come up with a credible reason other that ‘it’s nice’.

I also do the 0 and 7 strikethrough thing, and Zs too.

Oh no, the rings have to be in exactly the same place (otherwise my family will die etc etc) I also do inverted V when doing a one, but I don’t cross my sevens.

You people on the other hand; are all weirdos…

I count every repetitive motion.  From climbing stairs to putting cutlery away.

Same tj, climbing hills – count pedal strokes etc

some of this, while pointless, is verging on OCD, which I’d venture is a rather different thing?

I’ve got a colleague who is similarly afflicted.  Every morning she leaves the house, locks the door, gets into the car, starts the engine, and then – simply has to do it – gets back out of the car, leaves the engine running and the door open, while she nips 20 yards back down the street to double check the front door was locked. She fully acknowledges how ridiculous this is, and that she’s asking to have her car stolen, but just can’t not do it

As a failed mathematician with. 7s get the line because between 1, 2, 7 and various Greek letters there is a lot of scope for getting very very confused.

Let’s pretend that’s the main reason I am a failed mathematician.

Every morning, I get up. I go downstairs, after visiting the throne room, I make a coffee for me and a tea for my other half. I deposit tea at her side of the bed and take my coffee into the bathroom. I have a shower then carry my coffee downstairs so I can drink it while I iron my clothes.

Every day.

Why don’t I just leave the coffee in the kitchen? Literally one of my hobbies is carrying a cup of coffee around the house for no good reason.

I am not sure if it counts as a habit but I like things to be straight on tables etc and am obsessed with coasters under drinks. The best thing I did was buy a round ish coffee table. So much more relaxing when nothing is off centre!

There can be a fine line between safety first and obsession.  I have to take a picture of the stove when I leave the house but I did go to work once and leave the Bialetti on the gas flame so that’s just a sensible and rational safety precaution.

Say something suggestive to the wife 🥺

My wife used to always refil and boil the Kettle after using it. Took me ages to get her out of the habit. Refilling fine, turning it on so it boils, complete waste of electricity. Her Dad used to do it. I figure it’s a Country tradition where every house had an Aga type hob that took ages for the kettle to boil and would be hot anyway so no waste of energy.

Not me but Mrs C not only turns plugs off at the wall but unplugs them as well, it’s a habit she picked up from her mother who would always unplug everything at night before bed and I mean everything.

It can take quite a while to leave the house at times.

Although a friend of hers flat did burn down due to an electrical fire caused by a faulty hifi left on standby, so I let her away with it.

I go to work. Seems pointless.

Give a damn about doing my job properly and with a level of conscience

Cleaning and tidying.  I’m 1/4 of the house population and generate less than a 1/10th of the mess, so why am I the one that’s  continually tidying up only to find more mess?!

Drinking alcohol. Pointless, but a hard habit to break sadly

Look in the mirror.

I’m never more attractive, only ever older looking. 🤷

just saw one on the way home. It’s not specifically something I do (I don’t think, I haven’t been for a road run in ages) but a group all came up to a pelican crossing and then did  stupid half jogging on the spot waiting for the lights. It looks silly, and in my mind is pointless.

Await someone to tell me there’s an actual reason.

I think in reality I could have filed this in the ‘stuff that irritates you’ thread as well.

Closing of:

Drawers

Wardrobes

Cupboards

etc

Every. Single. Time. After the girlfriend leaves a room

Things you do out of habit which are utterly pointless

Procrastinate.

Nooooo…Wednesday is Green!

Every morning she leaves the house, locks the door, gets into the car, starts the engine, and then – simply has to do it – gets back out of the car, leaves the engine running and the door open, while she nips 20 yards back down the street to double check the front door was locked.

I do a lower grade version of this, when either going for a ride or going for a long trip away from the house. I have to check we’ve got everything, and that everything is switched off or locked up 2 or 3 times over.

Drives my family mad, however my justification is that a few wasted minutes is well invested  compared to getting to the far away destination only to have forgotten key things or have the house burgled or burn down or whatever.

Also, the family’s approach to preparation generally tends to be to half think about, rush around  last minute and forget a load of stuff.

Two curves touching for an x in an equation – triggers a few classes who want to know why I do the funny “x”. I like that!

Line through a z to prevent similarity with 2, ditto line through a 7.

I also sometimes need to use the symbol for zero which is pointless.

Occasionally I will still double de-clutch dropping from 3rd to second totally subconsciously.  I had to do that in my first car when the synchromesh was on its way out. I think I got rid of that car in 1991 or 1992 😳

I obsess about wasting stuff to the point of it being completely wasteful. Like, I’m rustproofing a car right now, and that’s something worth spending time over, that part’s fine. But… The epoxy mastic topcoat I’m using came in a 3.5 litre tin, and yet I won’t leave a drop in the mix cup once it’s done, every bit has to go on the car. I hate having even a tiny drip, I can’t stand having the paint run down the side of the tin, or having much left on the stirrer, every millimetre drives me crazy.

So I’m exchanging time, which doesn’t come in a massive tin, for pennies worth of paint.

Reply to STW threads with pointless comments

Give up alcohol (does 3 months count as a “habit”?). Completely pointless as neither waistline nor fitness improved…

Im still crossing sevens 45 years after one of my maths teachers got me into that habit (to differentiate between 1 and 7) and, as a bonus, it used to annoy my geography teacher who complained about “kraut sevens” not being the proper British way…

I find the focus of so many of these examples impressive. I forget too quickly. As for counting pedal strokes I wander off track on a technical climb if i’m not careful.

I’ve always done 7s. But i’m a habitual serif writer so it comes with the territory.

Flicking my big toes against the next toe.

Muscle flexing/twitching (not overtly like a body builder) is something i’ve always done. Hamstrings, glutes, pecs, biceps. Don’t even realise i’m doing it. One of my kids noticed the other day and i think it’s the first person that ever has.

Arguing on politics thread on here🤣😜🙄😮

Whenever in the passenger seat with my mum driving, if she ever needs to brake at anything over casual pressure, she would reach over holding you back at the chest.

This came from an early car way, way back in the day where the seats would just tilt forwards(presumably to let people in the back) under heavy braking.

Still does it.

Respond to threads about PC problems before Cougar does. I should learn to just let him answer and then agree.