Spotlight on our thinking

Make sure moments outside work are made to count. Studying busy professionals, this piece surfaces five research-backed strategies to enrich free time:

• Engage with others—shared experiences multiply joy
• Avoid passive pursuits—active engagement brings greater satisfaction
• Follow your passions—meaningful enjoyment outweighs “should-do’s”
• Diversify your activities—variety, not depth, fuels happiness
• Protect your free time—boundary-keeping boosts both well-being and work engagement

Do you take into account the subjective value you get out of each hour? This article presents a framework and tools to assess the joy, achievement, and meaningfulness (JAM) derived from our weekly activities. Small adjustments—shifting just one or two hours—can deliver significant improvements in life satisfaction and well-being.

Listen in for a thoughtful conversation with Professor Perlow on why even brief doses of intentional joy matter—and how they can make us better leaders and more fulfilled people. Her advice echoes the findings from "How the Busiest People Find Joy" with fresh examples and practical tips.

In this Skydeck feature, Professor Perlow explains how the LIFE Matrix helps people align their time with what matters most to them. By assessing your “JAM type” (Joy, Achievement, Meaningfulness) and logging your weekly hours, the tool delivers personalized insights and benchmarks. With data from thousands of users, this is the message that stands out: even small shifts—just an hour or two a week—can spark significant improvements.

Tune into our feature on BBC Audio to hear our ideas in action—bringing the LIFE Matrix concept to life through narrative and reflection.