word
Hack
A clever workaround — once for computers, now for laundry, parenting, sleep, and everything in between.
Origin
Originally MIT slang from the 1950s for an elegant or playful technical trick. The cybersecurity meaning (unauthorized intrusion) and the productivity meaning ('life hack') both descend from it. 'Life hack' was popularized by Danny O'Brien at the 2004 O'Reilly Emerging Technology Conference.
Modern usage
Ubiquitous. 'TikTok hack', 'travel hack', 'parenting hack'. So overused it's near satire, but it keeps being used because no shorter word exists for the concept.
In the wild
The real hack is just going to bed at 10.— common usage
Tags
workaround
tech
shortcut