Haha, visuals definitely help things stick better in people's minds. Once, when dealing with roommates who kept tossing wipes down the toilet (even the "flushable" ones...ugh), I taped up a meme of a sad-looking plumber holding a giant bill. It was goofy, but it honestly reduced the wipe incidents. I'm curious though—anyone found that humor stops working after a while, or do you have to keep refreshing your approach?
"I'm curious though—anyone found that humor stops working after a while, or do you have to keep refreshing your approach?"
Yeah, humor can definitely lose its punch after a while. People get used to seeing the same joke or meme and eventually tune it out. I've found mixing things up helps—like swapping out memes for short, blunt reminders or even a quick handwritten note. Keeps everyone on their toes. But hey, props to you for getting results with the plumber meme...whatever works, right?
Humor definitely has a shelf life, especially when you're dealing with something as unglamorous as septic systems. I remember when we first moved into our place, I tried the funny route—posted a cartoon about septic do's and don'ts right above the toilet. Worked great for a couple months, then everyone just stopped noticing it. Eventually, I swapped it out for a handwritten note that said something like "Remember, flush responsibly or you'll be digging with me next weekend..." Surprisingly, that got way more attention than the cartoon ever did.
I think it's less about humor itself getting stale and more about people becoming blind to repetition. Changing things up—even slightly—can snap folks out of autopilot. But hey, if your plumber meme is still getting chuckles and results, ride that wave as long as you can. Whatever keeps the septic nightmares at bay is worth sticking with.
"Changing things up—even slightly—can snap folks out of autopilot."
Couldn't agree more. I've managed a few rental properties with septic systems, and honestly, humor only goes so far. After a while, tenants just tune it out. What worked best for me was rotating between humor, straightforward reminders, and occasionally something a bit more technical—like a quick note explaining exactly why grease or wipes cause issues. People seem to respond better when they understand the "why" behind the rules.
One time I even taped up a photo of an actual clogged pipe we had to deal with (nothing too graphic, just enough to make the point). That got their attention way faster than any cartoon ever did...
"People seem to respond better when they understand the 'why' behind the rules."
True, but honestly, most folks I've dealt with don't care about the technical details—they just want things to work. I've found a quick horror story about repair costs usually does the trick better than explanations...
