This March, over 200 million people joined a Zoom meeting each day. That’s more than the population of Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the UK, combined. Because of social distancing, Zoom has brought in more active users in the first 3 months of 2020 than it did in all of 2019, according to Zoom founder Eric Yuan. To help ensure your next Zoom meeting goes off without a hitch, here are 5 simple hacks to keep in mind before you dial in: 1. Find your light Before hopping on a video call, double check your lighting. The darkest corner of your small living room may be the perfect spot to bing ..read more

We’re often asked which we want first: the good news or the bad. But recently, we don’t seem to have much of a choice. Media outlets, TV reports, and our social media feeds are churning out stressful headlines at full-blast. It’s no surprise that Americans name the news as a significant source of stress, according to a survey by the American Psychological Association. When we’re exposed to negative news, we’re not only more anxious, but we’re also more likely to catastrophize worries in our own lives, studies show. There’s even an official name for it: Headline Stress Disorder. Psychologist Dr ..read more

Let’s face it: The news doesn’t stop happening just because you’re overwhelmed. And trying to stay on top of what’s happening quickly, via only your social media feed, can trap you inside an echo chamber. So how can an average person stay informed? In the midst of quarantine, maybe you’ve considered learning how to speed-read. Others say that, to save precious minutes, you should listen to brainy podcasts at double or triple speed.  But those tricks and techniques are pretty antisocial and inward-directed. And they neglect one of the most valuable resources already at your fingertips: you ..read more

TL;DR Phones are usually covered by renters or homeowners insurance policies under the “personal property coverage” part of your policy. Retail phone protection plans might cover accidental damage, but probably won’t cover theft. “Phone & Device Insurance” offered by the carrier or manufacturer will also cover electronics like laptops, gaming consoles, tablets, and other electronics. Phone & Device Insurance is a supplement, but not a replacement for renters or homeowners insurance. Here’s an all-too-common situation: You’re finishing up happy hour with a friend, and call an Uber hom ..read more

Working remotely is challenging. But when combined with the full-time job of entertaining, feeding, and caring for my child, I’m overwhelmed and exasperated. As a parent to a boisterous toddler (with another one on the way!), I have no clever manual for how to balance both.  My carefully crafted schedule is thrown out the window, idealized parenting techniques ignored, and hours of once-forbidden screen-time consumed. There’s no right way to deal with a crisis like this, but I’ve learned quite a few lessons- and so have my team members at Lemonade.  Here are some tried and true hacks ..read more

You can help policymakers, medical leaders, and academics wage war on the coronavirus. Their biggest challenge? They have very few answers to the most important questions. Which public policies actually slow the spread of the virus? What convinces people to practice social distancing? What’s the best way to alleviate loneliness? “The answers to these questions must come from research, not intuition, if we are to successfully reduce the impact of COVID-19,” says Lemonade’s Chief Behavioral Officer Dan Ariely. And that’s where you come in. Academic researchers need people like you, you ..read more

You deserve a vacation! Taking a break from your day-to-day life is vital to your sense of well-being, your relationships, and your productivity.  According to a University of New York study, taking the occasional vacay could even help you live longer. Whether your travel plans include escaping to an island getaway, enjoying some international travel around a European city for two, finally taking that great American road trip, or enjoying a simple staycation—unplugging and unwinding might be just what the doctor ordered.  But we get it: In addition to printing off your boarding pass ..read more

You take to the streets and make your voice heard. You volunteer, donate, and sign petitions. A wave of excitement builds, and you’re just sure that real change is right around the corner… And then—nothing happens. Or at least it can feel that way. Incremental progress is maddening, especially if you’ve put your blood, sweat, and tears into a cause. So it’s no surprise that “activist burnout” is a real risk for anyone who struggles to improve the world. Recently, progressive Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez admitted to her Instagram followers that even she felt “like giving up” that day ..read more

In 2020, it’s really tough to avoid talking about politics—and you shouldn’t! These discussions can be difficult to start, but they can also end up rewarding for everyone involved… promise. Due to confirmation bias, notes author and law professor Ozan Varol, “we tend to undervalue evidence that contradicts our beliefs and overvalue evidence that confirms them. We filter out inconvenient truths and arguments on the opposing side. As a result, our opinions solidify, and it becomes increasingly harder to disrupt established patterns of thinking.” Does your family have decidedly different beliefs ..read more

If you’re reading this, you’re hopefully already registered to vote, or plan to do so before the upcoming election (kudos!). You also probably know that many Americans are not registered, and won’t register. Almost 92 million eligible Americans did not vote in the 2016 presidential election; that’s over 10 times the population of all of New York City. Registering–and subsequently voting–is crucial for the integrity of the nation’s democracy. The upcoming election might determine the nation’s political course for decades to come. With so much on the line, why is there still such a massive ..read more