lifehack

American  

[lahyf-hak] / ˈlaɪfˌhæk /

Or life-hack,

noun

1. Informal. a tip, trick, or efficient method for doing or managing a day-to-day task or activity; a hack.

   a lifehack for overcoming social anxiety;

   a computer programmer's best lifehacks.

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lifehack British  

/ ˈlaɪfˌhæk /

noun

1. any procedure or action that solves a problem, simplifies a task, reduces frustration, etc, in one's everyday life

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Other Word Forms

• lifehacker
  noun

Etymology

Origin of lifehack

life + hack ¹ (in the sense “a tip or trick to do something well”)

Explanation

To lifehack is to use shortcuts to make tasks easier, quicker, or more successful. One way to lifehack is to hold a nail with a clothespin while you hammer it, making it almost impossible to smash your fingers accidentally. The verb lifehack comes from computer lingo, originally referring to a slightly clumsy work-around that solved a specific programming problem. The original use of lifehack related to computer programmers' non-work lives, and quick fixes for daily dilemmas that they faced. Today anyone can lifehack, simplifying activities like cleaning a keyboard (use the sticky part of a Post-it Note) or lighting candles with short wicks (use a piece of dry spaghetti).

Example Sentences

Rather than chasing rumors of where toilet paper was last seen on shelves, some millennials see purchasing a bidet as a kind of pandemic lifehack.

From The Guardian • Apr. 14, 2020

This one’s a lifehack for all the newly remote workers out there.

From Fox News • Mar. 25, 2020

Whether that’s a cute baby photo, a serious current event, a clever lifehack, or a 9/11 conspiracy theory is not Facebook’s concern.

From Slate • Dec. 3, 2014