When last we corralled the Lifehacker staff’s Weekly Upgrades, our editors were exploring new podcasts, giving money to Apple, and finding ways to get along better with an ornery cat.
This week, we’re figuring out ways to keep kids from breaking our toilets, adding new activities into our workout regimens, and still finding ways to get along better with an ornery cat.
What upgrades did you make this week? Let us know in the comments.
Keep your cat entertained
My upgrade is a laser pointer for my cat. It is entertaining to me and entertaining to her and it tires her out so she isn’t quite so annoying at night.
Claire Lower, Food & Beverage Editor
Child-proof your toilet
Our toilet broke and we replaced the flusher with one that is activated by a hand wave. After it flushes, it won’t pay attention to further hand waving for a good 30 seconds or so. You have no idea how much of a godsend this is in a house full of small children that love to grab the flush handle and wiggle it and flush it a million times… which come to think of it is probably why it broke in the first place.
Beth Skwarecki, Health Editor
Supplement your running regimen
I’ve been looking for an exercise class to supplement my running and work other muscles (especially my arms), and I’ve finally found that in… spinning. The first time I went I felt like Kimmy Schmidt: A bit freaked out at first and then all-in. It’s a great stress reliever. Shout out to CrankNYC on the Upper East Side.
Alicia Adamczyk, Staff Writer
Get your writing done first thing in the morning
I’m pretty sure that I’ve written about Morning Pages as my upgrade at some point in the past, but I’ve long since fallen off, and as of this week, picked the practice back up.
At the moment I’m not doing it with an eye to any larger writing project, but I find that dumping your thoughts onto paper first thing in the morning is the mental equivalent of making your bed and taking out the trash, and I can’t recommend it strongly enough.
Virginia K. Smith, Managing Editor
Find new and inventive ways for Twitter to upset you
I haven’t done anything this week because World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth dropped, and I’m reliving all those hours I spent in university meticulously grinding for better digital gear.
Unrelated, I also checked out a few digital tools this week that you can use to see who on Twitter doesn’t follow you back (among those you follow). It made me sad. Of course, with everyone threatening to leave Twitter — an annual tradition, it seems — maybe it won’t matter.
David Murphy, Senior Tech Editor
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