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Ancient Greeks knew a time management secret that could save your sanity

Welcome to the philosophical world of ‘Kairos.’

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Thinking man statue with a timer.

Picture this: you're downing your third espresso of the morning, frantically toggling between seventeen browser tabs, when your kid tugs on your sleeve and whispers, "Mom, look: there's a rainbow outside." Your mind comes to a standstill, and for a brief moment, life's priorities seem perfectly aligned as you let yourself be drawn to the window. Were you "productive" in this moment? Not in the modern sense, no. But in ancient Greece, wise elders would be proud of you.

While we furiously chase deadlines and optimize our days for "maximum efficiency," we lose something profound that the people of Ancient Greece understood intimately: all time is not considered equal. The Greeks distinguished between Chronos—the relentless tick of the clock, represented by the many alarms and calendar alerts that make up modern life—and Kairos. These rich, meaningful moments give life its emotional depth.


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Why your relationship to time is probably toxic

We've lost the plot on productivity. It's not our fault, necessarily. If your timeline is anything like mine, it's flooded with bullet journal inspiration, exploitative side hustles masquerading as "creative" outputs, and bros boasting about how they've "hacked" sleep, as if a person's worth can be measured by their output per hour. It's exhausting. And to be honest, a little weird.

The statistics are even more sobering. The World Health Organization reports that over 700,000 people died from overwork in 2016 alone. We are killing ourselves to reach an unachievable, unsustainable, inhumane ideal of "productivity," while simultaneously missing the moments that make life worth living. A cruel joke, surely?

via GIPHY

Research shows that constant productivity isn't beneficial for us, with the risk of burnout doubling when employees work 60-hour workweeks, rather than the already inflated 40-hour work week. Hustle mentality has infested too many corners of our lives. Self-care has shifted from a priority to just another bullet point on our to-do lists. We feel guilty for resting, anxious during downtime, and put constant pressure on ourselves to be "productive." "Lazy" has become a dirty word.

Two types of time that change everything

For the Greeks, there was a different way. They had Chronos (represented in schedules, planning, and other concepts and descriptions that are used to describe robots, not humans), and Kairos.

Chronos transforms days into spreadsheets and precious lives into productivity metrics and LinkedIn posts. Its focus is quantitative, measurable, and indifferent to the very human desire for in-person experiences.

calendar, overwhelming, chronos, time, management Personal calendar.Photo credit: Canva

However, Kairos, which translates into "the right or critical moment," is where the magic happens. It's described as a "qualitative time," moments where time seems to expand and a greater force—meaning—seeps in. In Greek mythology, Kairos was depicted as a beautiful youth with wings on his heels, running swiftly while a single lock of hair fell over his forehead. The symbolism was clear: these moments are fleeting, and once they pass, there's nothing left to grab onto.

Could you reflect on your most treasured memories? What arises? Was it the workday when you perfectly adhered to a Pomodoro timer? Or the spontaneous dinner with an old friend, when the conversation flowed like wine and time seemed to disappear? The latter is a "Kairos moment," or a moment when "time slows down or even stands still as we become acutely aware of the richness and depth of the experience."

Or as one philosopher puts it, "Chronos time management is obsessed with saving time. Kairos is about savoring it."

How to reclaim your relationship with time

The ancient Greeks understood what we've forgotten: both types of time are necessary for a whole life. Chronos provides much-needed structure, helping us meet commitments and enabling civilization to function. Without it, we couldn't coordinate with others or accomplish meaningful goals. But without Kairos to balance it, we lose our humanity and turn into machines—efficient, perhaps, but utterly empty.

Friends, time, management, joy, secret Friends enjoying each others' company.Photo credit: Canva

The secret lies in learning to dance between them. Individuals who regularly experience Kairos moments tend to report higher life satisfaction, stronger relationships, and greater resilience. These are more than feel-good platitudes, but represent measurable benefits that stem from understanding the true nature of time.

Luckily, we can use Chronos strategically to create opportunities for Kairos moments:

  • Schedule unstructured time. It seems ironic, but book calendar space for spontaneity. Embrace the paradox.
  • Silence notifications during meals. Create protected spaces for presence.
  • Choose depth over efficiency when someone needs you. Remember that not every moment calls for optimization or problem-solving.
  • Practice "sacred pausing"—moments of intention when you opt for meaningful depth, at the cost of "efficiency." This practice is personal and can take many forms. It may mean truly listening instead of waiting to speak. Experiencing a sunset, watching intently as the warm, golden hues fade into blues, purples, and indigos. Tasting food, concentrating on flavors, sensations, and textures, rather than screens or even conversation. Choosing to spend time with loved ones. Feeling gratitude for being alive.

A radical act of resistance

In our hyperconnected world, Kairos offers resistance to the tyranny of the clock. It suggests that our lives exceed our accomplishments, our worth transcends our output, and life's most important experiences cannot be captured in productivity apps.

sundial, clock, tyranny, time, mangement A sundial. Photo credit: Canva

So, the next time you find yourself mindlessly rushing from task to task, take a moment to pause. Look around. Notice small details, like the light streaming through the window, the chatter of neighbors nearby, the fact that you are alive and breathing and sharing this precious moment with billions of other humans on a spinning rock in space. Kairos is calling—inviting you to step out of the relentless march of measured time and into the eternal now, where real life resides.

Your to-do list can wait. But this moment won't come again. If you're open to hearing it, the wisdom of ancient Greeks is still alive, and they're willing to teach anyone willing to slow down and listen.

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Siggi's is paying $5,000 to encourage Americans to use their paid time off

Americans left a staggering 700 million PTO days unused last year.

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America has a vacation problem.

Paid time off is a sore subject for American workers. Yes, you know about the paid time off sitting in your account. You worked for it. But as the year slips by, each month, it remains unused. Suddenly, it’s nearly the end of summer, with no vacations, no road trips, or even overnight plans to see your favorite cousin on the horizon.

Why? You’ve earned those days fair and square. They’re yours. But with that earned time also comes a nagging guilt, which can take the form of voices saying “I’m too busy,” or “the rest of the team will resent me” when you need to rest the most.


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Which brings us to an unexpected champion: siggi’s, the Icelandic yogurt company that’s calling out America’s toxic work culture. In a campaign that’s as refreshing as their skyr (a thick, creamy, high-protein yogurt that hails from founder Siggi Hilmarsson’s home country, Iceland), siggi’s is offering $5,000 plus a $1,000 flight voucher to ten Americans who commit to taking all their paid time off this year. It’s called the “PT-YO Challenge,” and it’s rooted in something that might surprise you—Iceland’s approach to work-life balance and their consistently high rankings in global happiness indexes.

Iceland PTO policies: A model for well-being

While Americans struggle to use their limited vacation days, Iceland has built an entire culture around the importance of rest. Icelandic workers are legally entitled to 24 days of paid vacation per year, regardless of whether they’re part-time or full-time employees. On top of this, Iceland observes 13 public holidays each year (including Christmas Eve, Christmas, and the day after Christmas, which they refer to as “Second Day of Christmas”), bringing Iceland’s total guaranteed time off to at least 37 days.

Sounds nice, right? That’s because it is.


siggi's, vacation, challenge, skyr, time off siggi's is challenging Americans to use their PTO. All of it. Photo credit: siggi's

Research consistently shows that generous PTO policies like Iceland’s promote employee well-being, reduce burnout, and boost productivity. Countries with robust vacation cultures, like Denmark (which grants workers 25 days of PTO), the United Kingdom (28 days), and France (25 days) report higher job satisfaction, better mental health, and improved organizational loyalty.

So, in Iceland, taking your vacation isn’t seen as slacking off—it’s seen as essential maintenance for both your mental health and your ability to contribute meaningfully when you return.

It’s a virtuous cycle that benefits everyone: rested people are more effective at work. Simple as that.

“As an entrepreneur, I know how hard it is to step away,” said Siggi Hilmarsson, the company’s founder, in a press release. “But stepping away is where the real breakthroughs happen.”

And it’s more than talk. Beyond the PT-YO challenge, siggi’s and its parent company Lactalis Group support and offer a competitive suite of benefits for employees. Upon hire, siggi’s workers are granted automatic PTO days, and can build towards life insurance and a generous 401K plan.

The mantra here? “Life is stressful—but you’ll be surprised by how much simpler it gets when you slow down.”


via GIPHY


America’s PTO problem: Why aren’t we taking time off?

Now, for the not-so-fun part. The contrast with American work culture is stark. Unlike Iceland and most European nations, the United States lacks any federal law mandating paid vacation, personal time, or paid time off for private-sector workers. The average American private-sector worker receives about 12 days of PTO per year, less than half of what Icelandic workers get as a legal minimum. But remember, this only goes for those with full benefits, and many workers (especially low-wage, part-time, or gig employees) get far less or even none.

But here’s the kicker: even those measly 12 days often go unused. A 2024 study found that nearly two-thirds (62%) of Americans do not use all of their PTO, with 5.5% of American workers not using any of their PTO at all. The same study revealed that on average, employees only use 67% of their PTO allocation, leaving 33% behind! How many days is that, collectively? Well, siggi’s did the math.

Americans left 700 million PTO days unused in 2024. That translates to $312 billion in untouched vacation days, just sitting there, relaxing, like you were supposed to be in Saint-Tropez last year. That’s not a typo, by the way. Billion. With a B.


billboard, time square, new york, siggi's, challenge A billboard in Times Square advertising siggi's PT-YO challenge. Photo credit: siggi's

Dig a little deeper, and the reasons Americans give for not taking time off reveal a fractured work culture that’s filled with complex, overlapping issues and is fundamentally broken.

Marta Turba, WorldatWork’s vice president of content strategy, explains that the top three reasons why American workers struggle to take time are:

  • They lack adequate support and encouragement in this area from their employers.
  • They exhibit a compelling need for job and career security, which often leads to an “always on” mindset.
  • Their organization’s PTO plan designs do not incentivize taking time off.

“While a PTO policy may offer generous benefits, the subtleties of company culture—daily workflows and unspoken expectations—often signal whether taking leave is truly acceptable and how it might impact one’s career,” she continued, to Workspan Daily.

This lack of rest on a nationwide scale has disastrous effects on the working public: research shows that employees who don’t take mental health days are more likely to experience stress and anxiety, as well as health problems, like heart disease, obesity, and depression.


woman, stressed, work, burnout, corporate Not taking breaks or vacations actually makes you less productive and more stressed. Photo credit: Canva

According to Tim Osiecki, a director at Harris Research, Americans have found themselves in a dysfunctional paradox—as employees continue to work without breaks (and employers enable this behavior), this can lead to burnout, decreased productivity, and increased mistakes. It pays to prioritize your employees’ right to rest, because for companies, the opposite can be disastrous: higher absenteeism rates and reduced job satisfaction/morale, which can lead to a decline in overall performance and loyalty.


siggi’s: A company that puts their money where their mouth is

The PT-YO Challenge isn’t just a marketing stunt—it’s a direct challenge to American work culture.

By offering $5,000 to help cover the costs of taking time off, siggi’s is addressing one of the real barriers Americans face: the expense of taking vacations that keeps so many workers chained to their desks, even when they have the days available.

Ready to join the challenge? Head to siggi’s website to submit your PT-YO request, or start by planning that vacation you’ve been putting off. Your future self will thank you.

NOTE: The deadline to submit to siggi’s PT-YO Challenge is Tuesday, August 5th.


woman, smiling, vacation, time off, happy This could be you! Enter siggi's challenge today! Photo credit: Canva

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Friends struggling with procrastination held a 'forcing party' and it's oh so brilliant

A little accompaniment and accountability can make all the difference.

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Friends can help us when we're on the productivity struggle bus.

Some people have self-discipline and agency coming out their ears and rarely if ever procrastinate on anything. Others, not so much. Whether it's driven by habit, fear of success or failure, lack of motivation, ADHD, or something else that disrupts the flow from "I need to do this thing" to "I'm now doing this thing," procrastination is a challenge in many people's lives. You know what you need to do—why can't you just do it?

When you struggle to get things done, the cycle of self-loathing and shame that follows can make you feel worthless and alone. But some friends on X came up with a simply brilliant solution that not only solves the procrastination problem, but the feeling alone problem as well.

A user named Tyler wrote, "Sometimes you need a coach or therapist, and sometimes you just need someone to invade your life and force [you] to book the dr's appointment, finish the writing assignment, submit the job application, etc. Does this sort of person exist for hire?"

Lots of people resonated with that idea, but Tyler's friend Crystal responded, "Can we do it for each other?"

Tyler said Crystal would be good at this and said he was thinking of throwing "a force-on-another-to-do-stuff party."

And so they did.

The idea was to gather together a small group of friends who have things they need to get done and create a space where they could "force" one another to do them. Turns out, it was a brilliant plan. Crystal and Tyler both in the middle of their party, with Crystal saying it was "going well" and that they'd be doing more and Tyler sharing:

"So far:

- A passport has been filed for

- An inbox has been zero'd

- A personal website has been created

& more.

I recommend this format!"

People loved the idea, with many people asking if they could join. Tyler encouraged people to host their own. You don't have to have a bunch of friends to do it—it could literally just be two people. As long as whoever is there is on board with what it is, the number of people doesn't matter.

And if the idea of "forcing" rubs you the wrong way, what you call the gathering doesn't matter, either. One person suggested some alternative names, such as Git 'er Done Party, Just Do It Party, and Not So Bad Party. You could call it a Procrastinator Party or Motivation Madness. A similar idea has been called Admin Night, only that is specifically referred to as "not a party." But why can't it be both? Give the invite a tagline, even: Get stuff done, then have fun.

The concept of accompaniment to do things you don't want to or are struggling to do is an ADHD strategy known as "body doubling." Having someone in the same room with you doing something productive, even if it isn't the same thing you're doing, is often enough to get a person with ADHD to focus on the task they need to complete. The Forcing Party is a similar idea, perhaps with a bit more direct accountability built into it. It's a lot harder to put off doing something when you're at a party dedicated to doing exactly that thing.

If you're saying, "But why should I have to have a 'forcing party' just to get myself to do things that aren't even that difficult to do?" and feeling down on yourself for it, just stop for a sec. Humans aren't meant to do everything in isolation. We are social creatures who live in communities of people. Even those of us who like to be alone still benefit in various ways from the assistance and accompaniment of others, and if this is an area where being with your fellow humans helps you be the productive person you want to be, why question it?

Keep it simple. Contact a few friends and see if they have things they've been putting off doing that you could all do side-by-side one evening or weekend day. Call it whatever kind of party you want. See what they say. Chances are, they all have something they've been procrastinating on as well and would welcome the opportunity to get together and get it done.

Thanks for the inspiration, Tyler and Crystal!

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25 'bizarre but effective' life hacks that have actually made people's lives smoother

Creating an email for your kid when they're born to create time capsule of memories is pretty genius, gotta admit.

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A person tying their shoes on inside.

Streamlining our days is simply a necessity as life brings us more and more to-dos with each passing moment. But luckily, necessity is the mother of invention, and people have found clever ways to make mundane tasks more efficient, more enjoyable, and more likely for us to fit into a routine.

Odds are you’ve come across a list or two sharing some of these strategies (we’ve certainly written a few), and might be thinking you’ve seen it all. That certainly seemed to be the thought going through someone’s head when they asked folks online, “What's your weirdest but most effective life hack in 2025?”

This person clarified that they didn’t want “obvious” answers, like automating bills, and used one friend’s hack of bulk-recording “angry customer rants” to play when they were put on hold too long as an example.

“Just looking for fun, clever hacks, especially for the kind of tasks you always put off, like chasing refunds or fighting with a warranty department,” the OP added. Over a thousand people responded with their kooky ways of making life more livable.

Laundry seemed to be one of the biggest dreaded tasks that people tackled. But once they found a system that worked, there was no going back.

productivity, life hacks, cleaning hacks, productivity hacks, chatgpt for productivity, health hacks A person folding clothes.Photo credit: Canva

“If you hate putting away laundry as I do, this is the absolute best way to do it. Fold and put away like two shirts at a time then gtfo.”

“Once I recognized that you are never done with laundry it was a game changer… I identified anything that doesn't need to be folded (socks, underwear, athletic clothes, etc) and gave them bins that I can toss in laundry as I get to it. Towels were the same way. Who am I folding towels for? This ain't a hotel…I have a process flow too. When the hamper is full, do laundry. Clean and dry laundry goes into a big hamper I named the "laundry inbox". If the inbox is full...I sort. If I touch the clothes in my hamper I fold them (or at least a few)…No more rifling through clothes to find something to wear and leaving them in the bin. I probably spend a few minutes on laundry every day and this works so well. It's never done. I just keep moving things forward.”

“As soon as washing machine finishes, clothes go straight onto hangers, then hangers go straight onto the line. I even hang my underwear around the ‘neck’ of the hanger. When clothes are dry, I just grab the whole lot of hangers (with the clothes on them) together on the line, and they go straight into my wardrobe.”

“That laundry folding technique…the one where you fold items neatly and symmetrically, and then I fold the T-shirts in half again so that they slot into my drawers - you almost ‘post’ them into their slot in the drawer, and you can see your entire wardrobe at once from above.I can see all my clothes, and simply pick out the one I want without disturbing any of the others…No fumbling, unfolding them, etc. The whole process of getting dressed takes half the time it used to, and you’re never hunting for anything, turning anything inside out, getting the wrong T-shirt because you didn’t see the pattern, etc. Of course, folding the clothes takes a bit longer, so I do that in one go whilst watching TV. Time spent up front, time saved later on.”

Cleaning was also a big one. Several folks had tips for keeping things tidy despite being busy, organizationally challenged, unmotivated, neurodivergent, etc.

productivity, life hacks, cleaning hacks, productivity hacks, chatgpt for productivity, health hacks Two people doing chores. Photo credit: Canva

“One tiny thing I like to do is that every time I leave a room, I make an attempt to leave it tidier than when I entered it. Just tidy one thing as I leave.”

“Laundry and clean the house on Thursday night so I don’t have to do shit on the weekend.”

“I work in a school, and my house gets pretty gross during the school year because my husband and I get too busy/burnt out to clean. So I invite people for a dinner party the second weekend after school ends, so I'm forced to clean up right away and we start the summer with a clean house.”

“I sweep my floor daily before bed…That way the amount of dust is bearable every day instead of clumps of cat hair from the whole week. “

“I tidy/clean every day for 15 minutes. I set a timer and stop when it goes off. This has all but eliminated the need for hour-long cleaning sessions with bigger intervals.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, many people found success by sourcing some of their time management to AI. We don't need to debate the environmental or ethical implications of those (that’s another conversation), but it is worth noting how a major obstacle keeping so many of us from streamlining in the first place is mental exhaustion, plain and simple.

productivity, life hacks, cleaning hacks, productivity hacks, chatgpt for productivity, health hacks A person using AI to streamline their workflow. Photo credit: Canva

“I struggle with decision making fatigue…I've trained my Chatgpt to be my productivity coach. So every time I struggle these days - I just go to it and type in short hand what I'm supposed to do and what I'm feeling. And just blindly follow it's advice. Like..’heyy as my productivity coach, I've been procrastinating planning this upcoming meeting. I feel like I don't have all the pieces and keep pushing it away. I have 25 mins now, help me fix it.’ Works like a charm.”

But it’s not just this kind of tech that people have used to streamline their life.

productivity, life hacks, cleaning hacks, productivity hacks, chatgpt for productivity, health hacks A person doing all their emails at once. Photo credit: Canva

“I keep a burner email address just for warranties, returns, and shady sign ups, and I forward all receipts there manually right after a purchase.”

“I struggle with waking up, especially when an alarm is involved. Often because I have a hard time falling asleep in the first place. But I noticed on a vacation where the bedroom had skylights that couldn’t be covered that I woke up well with natural sunlight…So we installed automatic blinds in our bedroom, where it opens up a little bit at sunrise, and halfway at 8am, etc. I wake up SO much better now, which helps with the rest of my day!”

“When your kid is born…start an email address just for them. Whenever you have a thought, take a picture or video, or want to save a memory send it to that email. Over the years you will have a perfect little journal of your life with them that is safe from fires or getting lost. And when they turn 18 you can surprise them with it and give them the password as a present and they can read / see all the times you were thinking of them over the years :)”

And never underestimate the power of a good list.

productivity, life hacks, cleaning hacks, productivity hacks, chatgpt for productivity, health hacks A person writing a to-do listPhoto credit: Canva

“I wrote a list of meals we actually all like and realistically cook all the time anyways. We pick out a meal per day on Fridays, make our shopping list and are set for a whole week without thinking once ‘whats for dinner.’”

“I make my to do list, sit down to do a leisure activity (read, watch tv, play a game), and set a 15 minute timer. When the timer goes off, I pick a task to complete from my list. When it’s done, I set a new timer, and chill for another 15 minutes. Works every time!”

“To do list for every. Single. Thing. Even the smallest, dumb things like ‘google that:...’ I don't have to store it in my brain… SO satisfying.

People also swore by doing away with daily routine tasks and consolidating them to one designated, optimal time.

productivity, life hacks, cleaning hacks, productivity hacks, chatgpt for productivity, health hacks A Now & Later list. Photo credit: Canva

“Instead of answering messages, email, answering phone as things come in… I do it in small time blocks 3 times a day. morning, afternoon, evening. 99.9% of things aren't urgent and can wait.”

“Identify weekly tasks that can be changed to monthly. Identify monthly tasks that can be changed to every two months.”

“I invoice monthly instead of at the end of each project…I only have 1 day each month I need to check for outstanding payments rather than every day or week. You do have to get better at buffer and cashflow though.”

Finally, we saved the best, most unique ones for last:

productivity, life hacks, cleaning hacks, productivity hacks, chatgpt for productivity, health hacks A person tying their shoes inside. Photo credit: Canva

“My biggest hack is making commitment bets with friends when I’m in a high energy state…If I have a bet I never fail it’s crazy.”

“This is a common one in the various ADHD subs but- keep your shoes and pants on until all of the tasks are taken care of… If you take your shoes off at the door, get a pair of house sneakers. If you struggle with being productive at home, put some shoes on. For some reason, having shoes on kickstarts my energy and makes me want to do things. I even bought some light sneakers I only wear inside now.”

“For the past two year, I have committed to learning one new skill every quarter. This means I focus on four skills in total each year, ranging from networking and communication to personal finance and investing, Phyton programming, running etc. To dive into each skill, I choose one high-quality book or podcast that resonates with the topic. I dedicate time to not just consume the content, but also to engage with it through listening, reading, and writing. This approach has allowed me to gain a solid understanding of each subject and apply what I've learned to real-world scenarios. The results have been remarkable! Not only has my perspective on various aspects of life expanded, but I've also seen significant growth in my professional network. Engaging with new concepts has sparked meaningful conversations and connections with like-minded individuals.”

“Get whiteboard erasers and write on the lid of your freezer everything that is inside. No need to go rummaging around trying to see what you have. Any time something new goes in, add it to the lid. Any time you take something out, erase it.”

“Take the time to consume art. Whether that’s finding artists you like and literally going to galleries, or even it’s just going to the garage or a different room with the sole reason to listen to music…But try and see the beauty in it. After a while, you start to see the beauty in everyday life.

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