Let’s face it, the economy feels a little doom and gloom right now. So we’re learning how to protect ourselves financially this week with the help of personal finance advisor Ramit Sethi. Hear him talk with Alice and Lifehacker’s personal finance writer Lisa Rowan about his practical tips for navigating this economically terrifying time. Ramit is the author of the New York Times bestseller I Will Teach You to Be Rich and founder of IWillTeachYouToBeRich.com. After their conversation, keep listening to hear Lifehacker’s health editor Beth Skwarecki speak with medical laboratory scientist Dr. Constantine Kanakis about all aspects of COVID-19 testing.Have an idea for a future episode? Call us at 347-687-8109 and leave a voicemail, or write to us at upgrade@lifehacker.com. We want to hear from you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re learning how to be more present this week with meditation teacher Sharon Salzberg. Hear her talk with Alice and Melissa about the ways that the pandemic highlights just how interconnected we are, and what we can do to find a little stability in the uncertainty. Sharon is the New York Times bestselling author of Real Happiness,  Lovingkindness, and Real Love: The Art of Mindful Connection. Her newest book, Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World, comes out in September.Have an idea for a future episode? Call us at 347-687-8109 and leave a voicemail, or write to us at upgrade@lifehacker.com. We want to hear from you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode we’re talking about dinner: what you should make, how you should make it, and why the idea of “dinner” is fraught for so many of us. We talk with Melissa Clark, staff reporter for the New York Times Food section and author of the new cookbook “Dinner in an Instant.” We also chat with Dave Arnold, the Founder and President of the Brooklyn-based Museum of Food and Drink. And we spend quality time with Claire Lower, Lifehacker's food editor and the mastermind behind the “Will It Sous Vide” column.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Comedian and author Samantha Irby joins us this week on The Upgrade to talk about how to make yourself comfortable with self-quarantine. This includes finding the right TV shows to binge-watch (she has a recommendation or two), the right books to escape with, and the right foods to cook while you huddle up at home. Samantha is the New York Times bestselling author of We Are Never Meeting In Real Life, Meaty, and most recently, Wow, No Thank You.In other news, WE ARE NOMINATED FOR A WEBBY! Please vote for us in the Best Lifestyle Podcast category if you’d like to see us win!Have an idea for a future episode? Call us at 347-687-8109 and leave a voicemail, or write to us at upgrade@lifehacker.com. We want to hear from you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Does social distancing have you feeling the blahs? We’re reviving our creative instincts this week with help from Jerry Saltz, New York Magazine’s Senior Art Critic and author of the New York Times bestseller How to Be An Artist. Hear Jerry talk about his secrets to finding inspiration in these isolating times, as well as how he imagines the art world will emerge from this global pandemic.After their conversation, hear Lifehacker’s health editor Beth Skwarecki speak with epidemiologist and infection preventionist Dr. Saskia Popescu about the right and wrong ways to wear a mask, and what to really worry about at the grocery store.Have an idea for a future episode? Call us at 347-687-8109 and leave a voicemail, or write to us at upgrade@lifehacker.com. We want to hear from you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Are you feeling burnt out? Do you find yourself working MORE, not less, even while working from home? Award-winning journalist Celeste Headlee joins us on The Upgrade this week to talk about how the toxic culture of busyness is harming both our brains and our bodies, and what we can do about it. Celeste is the author of We Need to Talk: How to Have Conversations That Matter, and most recently, Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving. Later in the show, hear Lifehacker’s health editor Beth Skwarecki speak with mental health expert Dr. Sanam Hafeez about how to navigate this psychologically stressful time for ourselves and our kids. Have an idea for a future episode? Call us at 347-687-8109 and leave a voicemail, or write to us at upgrade@lifehacker.com. We want to hear from you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gretchen Rubin joins us this week to talk about how she and her family are staying happy in their home during the pandemic—and how we can, too. Hear her talk about the rules, routines, and philosophies that are helping her maintain an inner calm during the current, chaotic state of the world. Gretchen is the New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Project, Happier at Home, and The Four Tendencies, and also hosts the podcast Happier With Gretchen Rubin. Following our chat with Gretchen, hear Lifehacker's Senior Health Editor, Beth Skwarecki, talk with epidemiologist René Najera about how to effectively limit the spread of COVID-19 and what we can expect as life slowly begins to return to "normal".Have an idea for a future episode? Call us at 347-687-8109 and leave a voicemail, or write to us at upgrade@lifehacker.com. We want to hear from you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

New York Times bestselling author James Clear joins us on The Upgrade this week to help us form some important habits during this panic-stricken time—from grounding rituals to quitting the habits making us unsafe during this pandemic. James is the author of 2018's Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones.Have an idea for a future episode? Call us at 347-687-8109 and leave a voicemail, or write to us at upgrade@lifehacker.com. We want to hear from you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Everyone at Lifehacker—along with the rest of the world—is now hunkered down at home, trying to make sense of this new (temporary) normal. So this week each of us recorded audio from our lives to provide a glimpse of what we’re up to. We want to hear from you, too. Call us at 347-687-8109 and leave a voicemail, or write to us at upgrade@lifehacker.com. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this episode of The Upgrade we’re talking about resilience. You know how some people seem to have some kind of inner strength that helps them bounce back when things go wrong? Those people who, even though the world sometimes feels like a scorched hellscape seem to carry on with grit, even gratitude? Our guest today is Buddhist psychologist Rick Hanson. Rick has drawn on his forty years of clinical practice and teaching to help us cultivate resilience, to overcome the brain's negativity bias and find inner peace. Finally!Have an idea for a future episode? Call us at 347-687-8109 and leave a voicemail, or write to us at upgrade@lifehacker.com. We want to hear from you!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.