Laws protect our society from harm and distress to ensure we can live peaceful lives, but these 17 unwritten rules are also essential for harmony in our communities, be that at home, in our local area, or at work. They might not be the law, but we all follow them every day.
Tip Your Server
As a gesture of appreciation for service workers, tips recognize their effort beyond the basic level of service. According to Bankrate, 65% of American adults always tip at sit-down restaurants, and “42 percent of U.S. adults say they typically tip at least 20 percent.”
Return a Lost Item to Its Owner
Taking the time to return a lost item to its owner or hand it over to authorities is an act of honesty that is greatly appreciated by others. Actions such as this can foster a sense of trust and security within communities and encourage others to act similarly.
Let People Exit Before You Enter
Letting people leave a building, train, or elevator before you enter makes for more efficient movement in busy spaces and prevents bottlenecks in small doorways. It shows you’re considerate of those around you and prevents confusion with others who may be expecting you to wait.
Keep to the Right (or Left) Side on Escalators
By sticking to the right side, you allow for an orderly flow and let people who are in a rush safely and quickly pass you on the other side. This shows respect to everyone using the escalator and encourages cooperation in public spaces. Just make sure you know which side is correct for the country you’re in.
Lower Your Voice When Talking on the Phone in Public
According to Psychology Today, “people feel that talking on the cell phone somehow isolates them from the people in their immediate vicinity. The deeper they get into their conversations, the more removed they feel from those who are physically present.” It’s important to try to remember your surroundings and speak quietly to make sure you don’t disrupt others.
Don’t Skip in Line
Queuing may seem drawn out, but it ensures order and fairness in public spaces or businesses, which prevents chaos. It shows that you value everyone’s time equally and ensure that services are fairly distributed. By skipping in line, you could also cause conflict with others around you.
Always Offer Your Seat to the Elderly or Pregnant on Public Transportation
Offering someone who needs to sit down your seat is a gesture of respect and care. By acknowledging the physical needs of others, you help foster a sense of community in urban environments and demonstrate that you value kindness and respect.
Knock Before Entering a Room
As a universal sign of seeking permission to enter, knocking on a door respects everyone’s privacy and autonomy, as well as preventing embarrassing situations for either party. It is also crucial in professional environments to maintain a sense of professionalism and respect others’ boundaries.
Avoid Talking in Elevators
As elevators are such confined spaces, many people prefer silence, as talking can feel like an invasion of personal space and peace. In some cultures, silence in elevators is a sign of respect for the shared temporary space, but it also minimizes social awkwardness with people you don’t know.
Take Part in Voting
Participating in voting is essential for shaping the way we want our local areas and country as a whole to be governed. Pew Research Center found that “about two-thirds (66%) of the voting-eligible population turned out for the 2020 presidential election—the highest rate for any national election since 1900.”
Respect Public Space Cleanliness
While the law states you cannot litter or vandalize public spaces, there are also unwritten rules about taking care of communal spaces to ensure your whole community can enjoy them. This might be shown through picking up litter or reporting maintenance issues quickly so that the space remains safe and looked after.
Noise Control in Residential Areas
There are laws about noise levels, but it’s important to understand and respect community standards of quietness, for example, by keeping the volume down late at night or early in the morning in order to respect others’ peace. This fosters a considerate living environment and helps build stronger relationships with your neighbors.
Offer Assistance in Public Emergencies
It is always encouraged to help others when they are in distress, as long as you can remain safe while doing so. This reflects a deep-rooted human instinct to help others and fosters a sense of kindness and respect in your community that will leave others wanting to follow suit.
Preserve Nature in Public Parks
Public parks are for the use of the whole community; therefore, it is important for everyone who uses the space to respect and look after its natural resources. For example, staying on designated trails or taking your trash home with you to recycle can help minimize your ecological footprint and leave the space nice for others.
Adhere to Recycling Protocols
Proper sorting and disposal of your waste according to guidelines helps the wider society and environment around you. Research by the EPA found that “the recycling and composting of municipal solid waste (MSW or trash) saved over 193 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2018.”
Respect Public Monuments and Art
Public monuments and art are protected by law, but there is an additional unwritten rule to respect and help preserve cultural heritage, which reflects the importance of cultural identity and shared history. By preserving these items, we can help teach younger generations about their importance.
Confidentiality in Professional Relationships
Confidentiality in some professions like law, medicine, and counseling is protected by the law, but other industries also expect trust and discretion in their communications. For example, employees are expected to protect sensitive information where possible, as well as respect their colleagues by not repeating conversations they’ve had.
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