Saving Time With Your Microwave

The ubiquitous microwave oven is an appliance used daily, both at work and at home. And yet so few people possess the knowledge and skills necessary to reap the maximum productivity from this modern time-saving device.

Here are several tips for optimal microwave oven usage:

1. Reduce unnecessary key punching.

Are you one of those plebeians who still punches in 1-0-0 to heat an item for a minute or 1-3-0 for a minute and a half? Use 6-0 for 60 seconds and 9-0 for 90 seconds, and save yourself that extra digit. Learn to type two digits for anything up to 99 seconds. You'll save time and also reduce wear and tear on your keypad.

2. Duplicate the same digit whenever possible.

Tip #1 was for newbies. The next skill to master is digit reuse so as to minimize finger movement over the keypad. Instead of typing 9-0 for 90 seconds, type 8-8. Instead of 6-0, use 5-5. You won't miss those extra seconds, and you'll save even more time.

3. If your microwave has a turntable, learn its rotational period.

How many times have you re-nuked your tea only to find that when you opened the microwave door, the teacup handle was oriented towards the rear, forcing you to reach awkwardly around the back to extract your beverage without burning yourself? The time lost in handle-hunting can be an order of magnitude greater than what you save on the keypad, so give top priority to learning the period of rotation of your turntable. When shopping for a new microwave, look for one with a rotational period of 5.5 or 11 seconds, since then your 5-5 and 8-8 nukes will always return the cooked item to its original orientation (i.e. handle facing out). But if you're stuck with a less functional period of rotation and the handle always ends up facing the rear after your preferred nuke times, then learn to insert the cold mug with the handle facing the rear, so it will be facing outwards post-nuking. Of course, another solution is to buy two-handled mugs or teacups, which is fine if sophistication lacks appeal to you.

4. Multitask with multiple microwaves.

How many times have you had to wait for the microwave to finish one item before you nuke a second or third item, like reheating leftovers and then making a cup of tea? Surely you have better things to do than stand around soaking up radiation for 10 minutes. New microwave ovens can be bought for less than $50. You should have at least three stacked in your kitchen and at least one in every room of your home. Reheat leftovers for the entire family in minutes. Build your own nuke farm, and multi-nuke your way to faster meals for life. Just be sure not to blow a fuse by running too many other appliances at the same time.

By applying these tips, you could save yourself precious seconds per day, which over the course of a lifetime, should be more than enough to recoop the time spent learning them... unless, of course, you're reading this on your deathbed, in which case you have my sincerest apologies (and my pity).

Next time: Why you should wear a wristwatch on each wrist (what if your non-watch hand happens to be closer to your face???)... PLUS determining optimal coaster placement.

Copyright © Steve Pavlina

Steve Pavlina
Personal Development for Smart People
http://www.stevepavlina.com
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Steve is intensely growth-oriented. He trained in martial arts, ran the L.A. Marathon, and graduated from college in three semesters with two degrees. He can juggle, count cards at blackjack, and make damn good guacamole. Steve is also a polyphasic sleeper, sleeping just 2-3 hours per day and only 20 minutes at a time. So chances are good that he's awake right now.

Saving the Environment Through Microwaves

Being eco-friendly seems to be the "in" thing in the last 5-10 years. While it is difficult to determine the extent to which the whole human population is destroying the planet, each of us can contribute in our own small ways. Which brings us to the topic of microwaves.

Despite some raised concerns about the dangers of microwaves, more and more people are getting convinced about its benefits to the environment. What I like about this concept is the fact that we don't have to sacrifice efficiency in cooking to create an impact, however small it may be, to the tenets of green living. Using microwaves can save us a lot of time, and that is always a plus when we consider the fast-paced world that we're living in.

According to the Department of Energy, cooking only takes up to 3% of a household's energy consumption. Energy consumption by lighting or for entertainment purposes takes the bulk of how much energy we use. But if you can chop down a little from the total amount of our home's energy consumption, why not do it anyway? After all, microwave ovens are much more efficient than conventional ovens, not to mention more fun to use.

Let's make some comparisons between cooking devices, and perhaps we could throw on the table a little math as well. By rule of thumb, 60% of conventional ovens are powered by electricity, not gas. Now consider the fact that microwave ovens are far more efficient than conventional ovens. If we throw into the equation the 3000 wattage generated by conventional ovens as opposed to 600 watts to 1650 watts by microwave ovens, you can pretty much discern the discrepancy of energy saved when using the latter. Taking into account the efficiency of a microwave oven compared to a convection oven in terms of cooking food only makes the result more exponential. Hence, a University in Bristol came up with the exact figures after doing an experiment, coming up with a conclusion that microwaves save 30% energy over conventional ovens.

The energy saved through the use of microwaves is even more evident when cooking in small portions. One experiment in Sweden, for example, has found out that cooking through conventional ovens used 9.5 more energy as that generated by microwaves after cooking a small but same amount of potatoes in the two kitchen devices under the same conditions. So if you're cooking big meals - a roast turkey or a big chunk of potatoes, for example - it's perfectly alright to use a traditional method of cooking, especially if the food is not fit for microwaves.

There are a slew of other advantages in using microwaves. For one, microwaves don't generate as much indoor pollution as traditional methods of cooking do. Also, microwaves don't emit hot steam that causes the room temperature to go down, alleviating the need for air conditioning and ventilation fixtures.

So you see, there are many reasons to have a microwave oven in your kitchen. Microwaves not only benefit the environment, they also improve the quality of our lives.