Options.

This is currently the most tedious light grind and the only option you have is to kill monsters and chain them. There is no other option that is more time efficient. Previous iterations of the light grind had you doing duties, fates, trials and you could go at your own pace since you will still be earning tomes, achievements (tank mount specifically), dungeon/raid gear etc. In Pagos there is no benefit to what you are doing outside of getting your relic to i370. For me personally I'm gonna wait till it gets patched to have bigger exp/light buffs or until my sub runs out. However by then the next area might be out and I'm sure Pagos will be a dead step meaning chaining and NM fates will be impossible due to low player rates.