The jet lag rule of thumb

The jet lag rule of thumb. Flying across multiple time zones disrupts your natural body rhythms, leading to sleep problems and other symptoms. A travel rule of thumb says it takes one day for the body clock to adjust for each traveled time zone.
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The generic gift rule of thumb

The generic gift rule of thumb. A gift giving etiquette rule of thumb says a thoughtful gift should not be a generic gift. If you can give the same gift to your parent, sibling, and co-worker, it is a generic gift.
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The hammer rule of thumb

The hammer rule of thumb. "If your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail." This old rule of thumb reaffirms the notion of proceeding with caution, especially if you are paying the person who is holding the hammer.
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The sunlight exposure rule of thumb

The sunlight exposure rule of thumb. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. It rises higher in the summer than the winter. The sunlight exposure rule of thumb says if your shadow is taller, exposure is lower; if your shadow is shorter, exposure is higher.
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The home cleanliness rule of thumb

The home cleanliness rule of thumb. Some say you can maintain a sparkling house in just 19 minutes a day. A home cleanliness rule of thumb says if you can see the dirt, you have waited too long to clean.
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The one-hour study rule of thumb

The one-hour study rule of thumb. There are many good methods for studying and learning. A good education rule of thumb says the first hour of studying is the best hour; do not study any one subject for more than an hour at a time.
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The gardener’s rule of thumb

The gardener’s rule of thumb. A gardening rule of thumb says to plant tulip bulbs five inches deep, about six to eight weeks before the ground freezes.
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The idea rule of thumb

The idea rule of thumb. A business rule of thumb says if you have a good idea, five other companies are doing the same thing. If you have a great idea, fifteen companies are doing the same thing.
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The go alone rule of thumb

The go alone rule of thumb. American author, philosopher and thinker Henry David wrote during the mid 1800s. Among other quotes, a Thoreau rule of thumb says, "The man who goes alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait until the other is ready."
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The safe insult rule of thumb

The safe insult rule of thumb. An old rule of thumb for life says, "Never insult an alligator until after you have crossed the river."
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The 9-4-4 calorie rule of thumb

The 9-4-4 calorie rule of thumb. Foods are not equal with respect to calories. A nutrition rule of thumb says a gram of fat has 9 calories, a gram of protein 4 calories, and a gram of carbohydrate 4 calories.
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The hiker’s rule of thumb

The hiker’s rule of thumb. Scottish mountaineer William W. Naismith's rule of thumb for calculating the duration of a hike a route is as follows: for hikers of reasonable fitness, on typical terrain, under normal conditions, allow 1 hour for every 3 miles (5 km), plus ½ hour for every 1,000 feet (300 meters) of ascent.
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The fine print rule of thumb

The fine print rule of thumb. Emmy award winning writer Andy Rooney is best known for his signature essays at the end of the 60 Minutes TV program. A good rule of thumb penned by Rooney says, "nothing in fine print is ever good news".
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The poison ivy rule of thumb

The poison ivy rule of thumb. Poison ivy commonly causes an allergic skin reaction along with itching, red rash or blisters. The rule of thumb for poison ivy says, "leaves of three, let it be".
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The rule of thumb for change

The rule of thumb for change. Change can be good and change can be bad. An old rule of thumb in life says, "Be careful what you ask for, you just might get it."
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The measurement rule of thumb

The measurement rule of thumb. An old business rule of thumb says, "What gets measured gets done." The use of consistent, comparable metrics is vital to operating and growing a successful venture.
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The "tooth fairy" rule of thumb

The "tooth fairy" rule of thumb. The "tooth fairy" rule of thumb for science fiction writers says a mysterious outside force may be invoked to explain the unexplainable only once in a sci-fi story.
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The one-hour meeting rule of thumb

The one-hour meeting rule of thumb. About 25 million meetings take place in corporate America on a daily basis. Estimates say half the time spent in these meetings is wasted. A management rule of thumb says limit meetings to one hour to avoid too many topics and run-on meetings.
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The 90-day credit rule of thumb

The 90-day credit rule of thumb. If used wisely, credit cards are one of the cheapest sources of short-term credit. To this end, a good credit card rule of thumb says avoid credit card purchases that cannot be paid off within 90 days.
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The quality clothing rule of thumb

The quality clothing rule of thumb. Clothing is like most other products in that you usually get what you pay for. A fashion rule of thumb says buy the best clothing you can afford. Well-made clothes fit and look better.
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The emergency savings rule of thumb

The emergency savings rule of thumb. Emergency expenditures should come from an emergency fund. A financial planning rule of thumb says your emergency savings should equal about three to six months' worth of your living expenses.
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The 40-12 home sale rule of thumb

The 40-12 home sale rule of thumb. How long it takes to sell a home depends on several factors, such as the home’s price, its condition, its neighborhood, and prevailing interest rates. The 40-12 rule of thumb says for a typical home forty showings in twelve weeks should result in a sale.
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The software bug rule of thumb

The software bug rule of thumb. A rule of thumb for software bugs says a software bug costs $1 when caught in the requirements stage; $10 in the design stage; $100 in the development stage; $1,000 during the testing stage; and $10,000 after release.
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The politician’s rule of thumb

The politician’s rule of thumb. Political rhetoric is the fuel that drives most politicians. A good rule of thumb regarding politicians says ignore what they say and watch what they do.
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The good project rule of thumb

The good project rule of thumb. A successful project completes on time and under budget. An old project management rule of thumb says it takes ten good projects to recover from one bad project.
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The law expense rule of thumb

The law expense rule of thumb. English novelist and satirical author Samuel Butler is often quoted in books and on the web. A famous Butler rule of thumb says "In law, nothing is certain except the expense."
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The life insurance rule of thumb

The life insurance rule of thumb. A good financial planning rule of thumb says purchase whole life insurance for permanent needs (funeral, burial, estate liquidity) and term life insurance for temporary needs (mortgages, college costs).
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The colorful food rule of thumb.

The colorful food rule of thumb. A plate filled with an assortment of colorful fruits and vegetables makes for good presentation and helps keep your heart and mind healthy. A rule of thumb says the more vibrant the food color, the healthier it is.
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The clothing rule of thumb

The clothing rule of thumb. You should select clothing colors for season and for accent. A good rule of thumb says choose dress colors that de-emphasize the undertone in your skin, contrast your hair color or compliment your eyes.
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The retirement rule of thumb

The retirement rule of thumb. There are several methods for estimating how much you need to save for retirement. A financial planning rule of thumb says your retirement savings should be twenty times your annual expenses not covered by pension or Social Security payments.
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