Methods, systems, and computer program products for effective utilization of idle cycles of users are provided herein. A computer-implemented method includes identifying periods of a user's idle time by analyzing user activity data; obtaining measurements for parameters of the user's working environment; determining activities to present to the user during the identified periods of idle time by deriving user interests in view of user actions; matching one of the determined activities to one of the identified periods of idle time based on the obtained measurements; delivering, to the user, an activity that is representative of the matched activity, wherein the representative activity comprises an abbreviated activity sharing similarities with the matched activity; and delivering the matched activity to the user during the identified periods of idle time in response to a positive user response to the representative activity.