Lifehacker

This week’s lineup of new Netflix Originals includes a study in contrasts: A docuseries exploring controversial wellness treatments—think tantra, bee-venom therapy, fasting diets—and an action flick about an experimental new drug that gives people legit superpowers.

The annual Perseid Meteor Shower is peaking this week, so now is the time to plan your escape to a dark spot under open sky.

Files by Google is a handy app that helps manage your Android phone’s storage space and securely transfer data to the cloud and other devices. Now, it can also lock your personal files in an encrypted, PIN-protected folder, thanks to its new Safe Folder feature.

As the coronavirus outbreak continues, some companies are predicting higher health insurance premiums for 2021. Whether you have recently lost your job—or you’re already thinking about fall open enrollment—there are some types of insurance to stay away from. Short-term health insurance may seem less pricey upfront,…Read more...

To me, the lines between “breakfast,” “lunch,” and “dinner” have always been blurry. Mealtimes are, after all, constructs created to fit the needs of the people, and they vary greatly from culture to culture. The Romans didn’t eat breakfast, and the British have an elaborate “tea” system I have yet to fully grasp.…Read more...

As humans we hate to feel helpless, so when we see someone struggling with something our instinctual response may be to offer them some advice. We also use this tactic when communicating when someone who has experienced some type of loss. It’s hard to know what to say in those situations, and “I’m sorry you’re going…Read more...

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After you’ve spent the time, money and energy creating a garden, flowerbed or yard, the last thing you want is for all your hard work to be ruined by weeds. Instead of using commercial weed killer to eliminate those pesky sprouts, there are plenty of more eco-friendly solutions. Here are a few options.Read more...

When you’re eating a good sandwich, everything seems right (or at least a little better) in the world for a few minutes. The way all the fillings and bread come together harmoniously can be more than just lunch: it can be a transcendent experience. Sure, you can (and should!) make your own sandwiches at home, but…Read more...

Everyone overthinks a decision or situation from time-to-time, but for some it becomes an obsession and gets in the way of their ability to function. When faced with a difficult decision, for example, it’s a good idea to take the time to weigh the potential risks and benefits of your options and consider the possible…Read more...

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Oh, Canada, you temptress to the north, with your universal health care and cheese-curd-and-gravy-covered fries. There are so many beautiful spots, from Prince Edward Island to Vancouver Island, and everything (well, most parts) in between, making it a popular spot for American vacationers. And given that it has been…Read more...

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a renewed interest in classic hobbies—like crafts, knitting and gardening—along with other activities that make us feel better during these trying times. Two of the more popular pastimes/coping mechanisms have been adopting or fostering pets, and watching “The Golden Girls.”

If you’ve gotten used to having something to look at up in space during weekends this summer, don’t worry—there’s something to see tonight. Last weekend we were treated to NASA’s live coverage of the SpaceX crew returning to Earth. This weekend, we have to opportunity to see Mars and the moon align and rise together.…Read more...

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When your job involves working on multiple projects—usually simultaneously—it can be easy to forget to update your portfolio. If you’re lucky, you have a steady stream of work with constant deadlines, leaving little time for anything work-related other than, you know, actual work.Read more...

Morning routines are an important way to start your day and launch your productivity. We talk about productivity a lot here, and for good reason: we have things to accomplish, goals and deadlines to meet. A few years ago I had a solid morning routine consisting of the standard grown-up fare—alarm clock, hot drink,…Read more...

I have always been a disorganized parent. I remember my first baby, just a few months old, getting inconsolably cranky and I couldn’t figure out why. “Well, is it past his naptime?” somebody asked me, and I was like, wait: naps have a time?

I woke up this morning and suddenly realized that I had yet another game night scheduled for tonight with my friends. That’s just what our quarantine lives have become: endless game nights, during which we’re always trying to find something new that works well over Zoom / Facebook / Google Meet / you name it.

We first shared this post in early 2019, long after the peak of the adult coloring fad. But desperate times call for desperate measures, and a global pandemic that shows no sign of abating certainly qualifies. If you’ve peaced out on puzzles, maybe try some coloring? But like, highbrow coloring.

I am writing this installment of 3-Ingredient Happy Hour three whole days before it will publish. As I write this, I am 33. Tomorrow, I will be 34. When you read this, I will have been 34 for two days. That is how time works—it marches on, waiting for no one (not even Mick Jagger, another notable Leo).Read more...

Exercising during a pandemic is a good, healthy use of your time. Exercising while binging your favorite shows is an even better use of your time. Maybe getting the ol’ heart pumping while also watching a bunch of Real Housewives drink copious amounts of alcohol and bicker with each other over stupid shit is something…Read more...

Edge Chromium is a decent web browser. I’d even go as far as to say it’s worth swapping over to from Google Chrome, given its improvements with memory usage. However, Microsoft has been incredibly annoying about stuffing Edge Chromium down everyone’s throats, and a recent Windows update locks this browser into your OS…Read more...

It’s a new month and a new fitness challenge, friends. Time to pick up a sandbag! And then put it down. And then pick it up again. Yep, keep going. Just a few more reps.Read more...

What a strange headline to write, but it’s true. The minute I heard that Quibi was launching a free, ad-supported service in Australia, my first thought was, “I wonder if a VPN would allow me to access all the Most Dangerous Game I want without having to pay a subscription fee to that dying service.”

Batten down the hatches: Hurricane season is here, and meteorologists expect it to be a busy one. Already, the east coast has been battered by Tropical Storm Isias, which made landfall last week, causing floods, fires, and tornadoes and killing at least nine people. Minus the horror of these more serious incidents,…Read more...

Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout is taking the gaming world by storm. The party platformer battle royale, out this week for PC and PlayStation 4, pits dozens of players against each other in a series of mad-dash mini-games. It’s largely uncomplicated; most of the mini-games require running forward and jumping at the right…Read more...

Although the U.S. economy added 1.8 million jobs in July, the country is suffering, with the unemployment rate in the double-digits. If you’re one of the estimated 30 million Americans collecting unemployment benefits right now, you may be eager for updates on the latest round of stimulus negotiations—but tax experts…Read more...

This is not an easy time to be optimistic. Back in March and April—when most people had only started to grasp the magnitude of the pandemic—there was still a sliver of hope that things might get back to normal by the summer. But as we’re nearing the end of the season with no end in sight for COVID-19, it feels more…Read more...

Feeling anxious? Even if this moment is a non-anxious moment for you, chances are good that at some point in the Year of the Pandemic, you have felt some anxiety; and chances are you’ll feel it again. If you do, might I suggest you try giving yourself a hug. A havening hug.Read more...

Whenever you get the chance, you should use two-factor authentication to secure your various accounts. That’s a no-brainer. However, I also appreciate services that try to enhance your account security on your behalf—like, for example, requiring you to input a special one-time code to even reset your password…Read more...

One of my many fails as a first-time gardener was letting my greens go to seed. Instead of harvesting bunches of carefully tended kale and lettuce, I waited too long and harvested, well, nothing.Read more...

If you video yourself lifting—whether for form checks or just to share your day on Insta—you’ve probably noticed an infuriating flaw in the way our phones work: as soon as you start recording, the music in your headphones cuts out.Read more...

Until quite recently, I hadn’t finished a book since the end of January. In that sense, I’m not so unusual—a 2018 study from the Pew Research Group revealed 24 percent of Americans hadn’t read an entire book, or even a portion of one, in the 12 months prior—but this is very unusual for me, a person who touts nine…Read more...

My reading commute is gone, my home internet lags, and there are no free bagels to hoard, but the most frustrating minor inconvenience of working from home occurs when I need to print a document. It happens rarely, but when it does—let me tell you—it’s a splintering pain in the ass. Needing a physical copy—whether to…Read more...

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As Congress debates the next stimulus package, many business owners have been waiting for guidance on the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)—and how to qualify for loan forgiveness.

iOS: Twitter users can now limit who can reply to their tweets using the iOS app—and here’s hoping this feature rolls out to Android and the web in the near future. It’s that helpful when it comes to limiting the potential for harassment on that cursed website.Read more...

You might already do something similar at work: once a week, even if you’re in near constant communication with your colleagues, the whole team sits down (probably via video chat these days) for a brief overview on how things are going. These meetings follow a certain script with updates from various departments, or…Read more...

It seems everyone prefers digging their heels in and remaining steadfast in their opinions (even if they happen to be, say, scientifically invalid and disproven), so the idea of changing someone’s mind about something feels pretty close to impossible. Of course, not everyone has to agree with you on everything, so…Read more...

In the olden days of 2019, disinfectant wipes had a small but dedicated market. Germaphobes and parents bought them regularly; for many of the rest of us, they were either an occasional or unnecessary thing. Now everything has changed, and the companies that make the wipes are struggling to keep up.Read more...

Every morning I awaken to the same question: “Daddy, will you play with me?” (I mean “awaken to” to be taken literally here; usually this question is posed loudly to me by a three-year-old hovering several inches away from my sleeping face.) And, though I am not proud to admit it, my answer to this question is always…Read more...

I will spare you the obvious joke about tossing coins to Geralt of Rivia, because for today only, you’re going to be able to hang out with everyone’s favorite freelance monster hunter without paying a dime. The PC game that started it all—taking us down an incredible fantasy path that led us to that bangin’ bard…Read more...

As low mortgage rates continue to break records, you may be feeling the pressure to refinance. This week, the average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is 2.88%—which doesn’t include origination points—according to Freddie Mac. While you may score a lower interest rate, experts warn that refinancing isn’t always…Read more...

In the 1990 film Back to the Future Part III, Christopher Lloyd’s eccentric inventor Doc Brown is flung back to late 19th century America and into an “Old West” pulled straight from the movies. When Marty goes back to rescue him, he finds Doc happily ensconced in the local community, posing as a blacksmith of sorts…Read more...

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When Krysta signed up for the UC Berkeley course The Science of Happiness, she didn’t know what to expect. The closest thing she’d done before was a personal development boot camp that had a bit of positive psychology thrown in. But after grappling with a fundamental disagreement in her marriage, she says the course…Read more...

You’ve probably introduced your kids to mask-wearing by now. (And they probably hate it, because we all hate it, but you’ve explained why they need to wear it, etc.) Most kids preschool-age and older have been doing a bit of mask-wearing here or there—when you take them for an ice cream cone or during an early morning …Read more...

By the end of 2020, Google Play Music will join the ever-growing list of dead Google products. If you’ve ever used the service to store music—one of its best features—you need to back up or transfer your songs now, because they’ll all disappear in several months’ time.Read more...

A hot bowl of ramen makes a delightful meal or snack for children or adults. But when we give it to kids, we might not realize that what we’re doing is handing them a bowl of near-boiling water—especially if the soup is straight out of the microwave.Read more...