--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I like to be busy,” she says. “And…" description: "\"“I like to be busy,” she says. “And useful. I think those are pretty basic human desires—don’t you?”\" — Christina Baker Kline" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/christina-baker-kline-1124_busy_i-like-to-be-busy-she-says-and-useful-i_1887172.png" --- # I like to be busy,” she says. “And useful. I think those… ![“I like to be busy,” she says. “And useful. I think those are pretty basic human desires—don’t you?” quote by Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/christina-baker-kline-1124_busy_i-like-to-be-busy-she-says-and-useful-i_1887172.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/christina-baker-kline-1124_busy_i-like-to-be-busy-she-says-and-useful-i_1887172.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/411/christina-baker-kline-1124_busy_i-like-to-be-busy-she-says-and-useful-i_1887172.png) > ““I like to be busy,” she says. “And useful. I think those are pretty basic human desires—don’t you?”” [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She expresses that being busy and feeling useful are fundamental human needs. **In simple terms:** Busy and useful are basic desires. Key Takeaway Seek purposeful activity. Themes purpose productivity human needs Mood reflective motivational Type personal development inspirational When to use this quote - career - volunteering - personal projects - daily routines Key Concepts psychology motivation Questions to Reflect On - What tasks make you feel useful? - How do you avoid overcommitment? A Different Perspective Balancing busyness with rest is essential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy/) [Busy Says](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy-says-2702878/) [Human Desires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-desires-248027/) [Like Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-busy-288734/) [Says Useful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/says-useful-2702879/) [Useful Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/useful-think-1020479/) ## Related quotes > [It's like I'm busy being happy and you're busy bringing me down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-like-i-m-busy-being-happy-and-you-re-busy-bringing-me-down/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think critics are very useful. But I think that they, in a way, betray their position when they stop people looking for themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-gormley/i-think-critics-are-very-useful-but-i-think-that-they-in-a-way-betray/) [Antony Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-gormley/) > [It is always useful to think badly about people one has exploited or plans to exploit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-w-loewen/it-is-always-useful-to-think-badly-about-people-one-has-exploited-or/) [James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-w-loewen/) > [Mistakes are at the very base of human thought, embedded there, feeding the structure like root nodules. If we were not provided with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/mistakes-are-at-the-very-base-of-human-thought-embedded-there-feeding/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [“As much as possible, it is useful to think of all other beings as being just like me. Every living being strives for happiness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-michie/as-much-as-possible-it-is-useful-to-think-of-all-other-beings-as/) [David Michie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-michie/) > [I found that whenever I encountered a situation, rather than just reacting to it, it was tremendously useful to think carefully about how I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/i-found-that-whenever-i-encountered-a-situation-rather-than-just/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [“It is more useful to think in terms of themes that pervade many activities, such as low cost, a particular notion of customer service,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-e-porter/it-is-more-useful-to-think-in-terms-of-themes-that-pervade-many/) [Michael E. Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-e-porter/) > [The individual feels the vanity of human desires and aims, and the nobility and marvelous order which are revealed in nature and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-individual-feels-the-vanity-of-human-desires-and-aims-and-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Deep down, we remain human, very human and have all the desires to love and be loved by one person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/basil-hume/deep-down-we-remain-human-very-human-and-have-all-the-desires-to-love/) [Basil Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/basil-hume/) > [“I feel that human desires are absolutely necessary. They keep us alive. So, we shouldn’t frown upon them. And instead, should embrace them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhaidev/i-feel-that-human-desires-are-absolutely-necessary-they-keep-us-alive/) [Abhaidev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhaidev/) > [...all enjoyment is dependent upon the frailty of human life and human desires ... if we were to have all we want and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-swallow-richards/all-enjoyment-is-dependent-upon-the-frailty-of-human-life-and-human/) [Ellen Swallow Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-swallow-richards/) > [“Every human being desires love and happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-human-being-desires-love-and-happiness/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [The individual feels the futility of human desires and aims and the sublimity and marvelous order which reveal themselves both in nature and in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/the-individual-feels-the-futility-of-human-desires-and-aims-and-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“On occasion a traveler will venture from one city to another. Is he perplexed What took seconds in Berne might take hours in Fribourg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/on-occasion-a-traveler-will-venture-from-one-city-to-another-is-he/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [Photography is thus brought within reach of every human being who desires to preserve a record of what he sees… and enables the fortunate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eastman/photography-is-thus-brought-within-reach-of-every-human-being-who/) [George Eastman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eastman/) ## More by Christina Baker Kline > [“Mr. Grote shows me how he grows wild rice in the stream and collects the seeds. The rice is nutty and brown. He plants…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/mr-grote-shows-me-how-he-grows-wild-rice-in-the-stream-and-collects/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“I try to forget the horror of what happened. Or—perhaps forget is the wrong word. How can I forget? And yet how can I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/i-try-to-forget-the-horror-of-what-happened-or-perhaps-forget-is-the/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“don’t know how much of my memory of this time is affected by my age now and how much is a result of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/don-t-know-how-much-of-my-memory-of-this-time-is-affected-by-my-age/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“The stark gray sky and bare tree limbs feel more suited to her than the uncomplicated promise of sunny spring days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/the-stark-gray-sky-and-bare-tree-limbs-feel-more-suited-to-her-than/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“Sometimes these spirits have been more real to me than people, more real than God. They fill silence with their weight, dense and warm,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/sometimes-these-spirits-have-been-more-real-to-me-than-people-more/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“Every Easter she and her mother planted those crocuses near the fence beside the driveway, and soon enough a whole cluster of them, white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/every-easter-she-and-her-mother-planted-those-crocuses-near-the-fence/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“Babies pay no attention to the clock.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/babies-pay-no-attention-to-the-clock/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“Mr. Kaminski pulled a chain hanging from the pressed-metal kitchen ceiling, and light seeped from a bulb, casting a wan glow over a scarred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/mr-kaminski-pulled-a-chain-hanging-from-the-pressed-metal-kitchen/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“Before we leave the gravesite, Mary sings Mother's favorite gospel hymn ... Mary's lovely voice rises and lingers in the air, and by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/before-we-leave-the-gravesite-mary-sings-mother-s-favorite-gospel/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“for the first time since the fire, my worries are gone. I feel a joy so strong it’s almost painful—a knife’s edge of joy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/for-the-first-time-since-the-fire-my-worries-are-gone-i-feel-a-joy-so/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“What was it the teacher in her Legal Issues class said the other day? Never bring up a point you don’t have an answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/what-was-it-the-teacher-in-her-legal-issues-class-said-the-other-day/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“Mrs. Scatcherd raps Dutchy's knuckles several times with a long wooden ruler, though it seems to me a halfhearted penalty. He barely winces, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/mrs-scatcherd-raps-dutchy-s-knuckles-several-times-with-a-long-wooden/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“(There are many ways to be crippled, I’ve learned over the years, many forms of paralysis.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/there-are-many-ways-to-be-crippled-i-ve-learned-over-the-years-many/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“This girl may never go anywhere. She should at least know that adventure is in her bones.” When”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/this-girl-may-never-go-anywhere-she-should-at-least-know-that/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) > [“only link we had to our future was a name scrawled on a piece of paper my father tucked in his shirt pocket as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-baker-kline/only-link-we-had-to-our-future-was-a-name-scrawled-on-a-piece-of/) [Christina Baker Kline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) [Explore all 281 Christina Baker Kline quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-baker-kline/) ## More Busy quotes > [Success doesn't have a downside for me. I'm busy, but I've always been busy whatever job I've had. My very first job working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-derbyshire/success-doesn-t-have-a-downside-for-me-i-m-busy-but-i-ve-always-been/) [Victoria Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-derbyshire/) > [I remember till 997th film, but after that I got so busy with multiple projects; I'm not sure which one released as my 1,000th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brahmanandam/i-remember-till-997th-film-but-after-that-i-got-so-busy-with-multiple/) [Brahmanandam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brahmanandam/) > [I love to work in football, so for me it's not work. I'm not here first in the morning and last in the evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-farke/i-love-to-work-in-football-so-for-me-it-s-not-work-i-m-not-here-first/) [Daniel Farke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-farke/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/) [Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/) > [“I don't envy "busy." Busy means having a schedule, not living life. What I really covet is leisure and peace of mind. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/i-don-t-envy-busy-busy-means-having-a-schedule-not-living-life-what-i/) [Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/) > [Focus on being productive instead of busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-ferriss/focus-on-being-productive-instead-of-busy/) [Tim Ferriss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-ferriss/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) > [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [I have no social life. There is no time for one. Once in a while I may go to dinner with a friend but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-halliday/i-have-no-social-life-there-is-no-time-for-one-once-in-a-while-i-may/) [Liz Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-halliday/) > [I like acting too much and it's too, I'm just too busy doing that and I'm too hungry for it, to get behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-like-acting-too-much-and-it-s-too-i-m-just-too-busy-doing-that-and/) [Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/) > [The hollow horn plays wasted words, proves to warn that he not busy being born is busy dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-hollow-horn-plays-wasted-words-proves-to-warn-that-he-not-busy/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/) [Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/) > [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/) [Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/) > [“Get busy live'n, or get busy die'n”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-shawshank-redemption/get-busy-live-n-or-get-busy-die-n/) [The Shawshank Redemption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-shawshank-redemption/) [Browse all 3,372 Busy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I like to be busy,” she says. “And useful. 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