7 tasks that are tougher for left-handed people

Opener
Flickr | DaveCrosby

If you’re left-handed, you probably already know that you’re living in a right-handed world. Lefties make up only about 10 percent of the world’s population and, unfortunately for them, there’s no denying that most things are designed with right-handed people in mind.

Check out this list of 7 everyday tasks that are that much more difficult for those of who are left-handed. If you’re part of the 90 percent who favors their right hand, you’ll probably realize you’ve been taking a lot for granted. If you’re a leftie, on the other hand (har de har har), you’ll most likely find yourself nodding in recognition.

1. Using Scissors

Whether helping a your kid with a craft project or snipping the tags off a new sweater, you probably never gave much thought to the way scissors were designed. But when a leftie grabs a pair of scissors, they’re holding them upside-down, which leads their thumb to get stuck in the finger hole. Thankfully, there are scissors especially designed for southpaws.

scissors photo
Flickr | delta407

2. Writing

Yep. Simply putting pen to paper and jotting down a note is hard for left-handers. That’s because their hand runs through the ink as they write, smearing it. The struggle is real!

Adobe

3. Using Cell Phones

Having our smartphones on us at all times has become ubiquitous in our society. Unfortunately, simply scrolling through your Facebook feed can be a pain if you’re left-handed. iPhones have worse reception when held in the user’s left hand, and when the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were released in 2015, users noticed that the side dock on the phone was useless for left-handers when held in landscape mode because it moved to the right side of the screen, too far out of their reach. Additionally, a user must tap a button in the right-hand corner to close out of an app on an iPhone, making this simple task awkward for lefties.

iphone photo
Getty Images | Justin Sullivan

4. Eating At A Crowded Dinner Table

If space is tight at the dinner table and a leftie and a rightie are seated beside each other, they will inevitably bonk elbows. Which is a pain in the butt, especially when you’re trying to bring a precarious spoonful of soup—or other delicious item—to your mouth.

https://www.instagram.com/p/lDwa0mjFTn/?tagged=bumpingelbows

5. Using A Tape Measure

If you need to hang a picture or get the dimensions of your living room before buying a new couch, you whip out a tape measure. The problem is that if you’re left-handed, the numbers appear upside-down. Luckily, just like scissors, there are left-handed-adapted tape measures out there so you can get the job done.

tape measure photo
Flickr | wwarby

6. Language Development

Some experts believe that right-handedness is connected with the development of language. “Quite a few left-handers, though not all, have language on the right side of the brain,” Chris McManus, a professor of psychology at University College London, told The Telegraph. “The brains of left-handers seem to be more variable and some are organised in a different way. Some benefit from this variability and have special talents in areas such as music and maths. But I don’t think there is any doubt that they are more likely to have problems such as dyslexia or a stutter.”

alphabet photo
Flickr | PurpleCar

7. Whipping Up A Culinary Masterpiece

It’s a cruel world for lefties who love to cook, as many kitchen implements are made for righties. For example, there’s that liquid measuring cup. When righties hold it by the handle, they can easily see the cups and ounces but, when lefties hold it, they see the metric side. Can openers are similarly impossible. Other kitchen items designed for righties: chef’s knives, peelers, corkscrews, etc.

can opener photo
Flickr | DaveCrosby

Life

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About the Author
Kate Streit
Kate Streit lives in Chicago. She enjoys stand-up comedy, mystery novels, memoirs, summer and pumpkin spice anything.

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