--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Email is a wonderful thing for people…" description: "\"Email is a wonderful thing for people whose role in life is to be on top of things. But not for me; my role is to be on the bottom of things. What I do..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d35/donald-knuth-8762_bottom_email-is-a-wonderful-thing-for-people-wh_2730856.jpg" --- # Email is a wonderful thing for people whose role in life… ![“Email is a wonderful thing for people whose role in life is to be on top of things. But not for me; my role is to be on the bottom of things. What I do takes long hours of studying and uninterruptible concentration.” quote by Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d35/donald-knuth-8762_bottom_email-is-a-wonderful-thing-for-people-wh_2730856.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d35/donald-knuth-8762_bottom_email-is-a-wonderful-thing-for-people-wh_2730856.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d35/donald-knuth-8762_bottom_email-is-a-wonderful-thing-for-people-wh_2730856.jpg) > “Email is a wonderful thing for people whose role in life is to be on top of things. But not for me; my role is to be on the bottom of things. What I do takes long hours of studying and uninterruptible concentration.” [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He contrasts roles that require constant oversight with those needing deep, uninterrupted focus, like his own work. **In simple terms:** Some jobs need constant updates; others need deep focus. Key Takeaway Match work to mindset. Themes productivity research focus Mood practical reflective Type advisory analytical When to use this quote - workplace design - personal scheduling - task batching Key Concepts deep work time management role alignment Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect focus time? - What tasks need deep work? A Different Perspective Interruptions disrupt concentration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Concentration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concentration/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Long hours](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-hours/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Roles in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/roles-in-life/) [Wonderful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful/) [Wonderful things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonderful-things/) ## Related quotes > [Email is a wonderful thing for those people whose role in life is to be on top of things, but not for me: my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/email-is-a-wonderful-thing-for-those-people-whose-role-in-life-is-to/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [“I played the best role in my life. I had a great director.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ljupka-cvetanova/i-played-the-best-role-in-my-life-i-had-a-great-director/) [Ljupka Cvetanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ljupka-cvetanova/) > [I see myself as mom first. I'm so lucky to have that role in life. The world can like me, hate me or fall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/i-see-myself-as-mom-first-i-m-so-lucky-to-have-that-role-in-life-the/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [If we want to be women of contentment, we must choose to accept our portion, our assigned roles from God. We must make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-dillow/if-we-want-to-be-women-of-contentment-we-must-choose-to-accept-our/) [Linda Dillow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-dillow/) > [Women have been brought up to be passive, accepting, not come forward and play a major role in life. And with age, there's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-helmond/women-have-been-brought-up-to-be-passive-accepting-not-come-forward/) [Katherine Helmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-helmond/) > [Our role in life is to bring the light of our own souls to the dim places around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/our-role-in-life-is-to-bring-the-light-of-our-own-souls-to-the-dim/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The world wants to assign you a role in life. And once you accept that role you are doomed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-world-wants-to-assign-you-a-role-in-life-and-once-you-accept-that/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [However you envisage your role in life, all you can do is perform it as best you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-aldiss/however-you-envisage-your-role-in-life-all-you-can-do-is-perform-it/) [Brian Aldiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-aldiss/) > [No role in life is more important than to be a good mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/no-role-in-life-is-more-important-than-to-be-a-good-mother/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [I did this role in Life Goes On as an HIV positive character and so emotionally that was the most challenging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-lowe/i-did-this-role-in-life-goes-on-as-an-hiv-positive-character-and-so/) [Chad Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-lowe/) > [When I pick a role, one of the things that I aspire to is that somebody's parent will come up to me after the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/when-i-pick-a-role-one-of-the-things-that-i-aspire-to-is-that/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [It's one of the things, certainly for me, anyway: I'm learning to take a bigger role in the things that I'm associated with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-michaels/it-s-one-of-the-things-certainly-for-me-anyway-i-m-learning-to-take-a/) [Shawn Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-michaels/) > [It's one of those things when you are in a role you have to do what they ask you to do. If they want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-bettis/it-s-one-of-those-things-when-you-are-in-a-role-you-have-to-do-what/) [Jerome Bettis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-bettis/) > [I've always seen myself for who I am, which is a lot of things. So, I guess that when I walk into a room,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viola-davis/i-ve-always-seen-myself-for-who-i-am-which-is-a-lot-of-things-so-i/) [Viola Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viola-davis/) > [People that are really smart and that can learn new things can almost always find a role in the company as time goes on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-altman/people-that-are-really-smart-and-that-can-learn-new-things-can-almost/) [Sam Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-altman/) ## More by Donald Knuth > [I'll never know everything. My life would be a lot worse if there was nothing I knew the answers about - and if there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/i-ll-never-know-everything-my-life-would-be-a-lot-worse-if-there-was/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [“Nearly every example of faulty reasoning that has been published is accompanied by the phrase "of course" or its equivalent.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/nearly-every-example-of-faulty-reasoning-that-has-been-published-is/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [ \[The Euclidean algorithm is\] the granddaddy of all algorithms, because it is the oldest nontrivial algorithm that has survived to the present day. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/the-euclidean-algorithm-is-the-granddaddy-of-all-algorithms-because/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [The process of preparing programs for a digital computer is especially attractive, not only because it can economically and scientifically rewarding, but also because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/the-process-of-preparing-programs-for-a-digital-computer-is/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [When certain concepts of TeX are introduced informally, general rules will be stated; afterwards you will find that the rules aren't strictly true. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/when-certain-concepts-of-tex-are-introduced-informally-general-rules/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [In fact, my main conclusion after spending ten years of my life working on the TEX project is that software is hard. It's harder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/in-fact-my-main-conclusion-after-spending-ten-years-of-my-life/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [Any inaccuracies in this index may be explained by the fact that it has been prepared with the help of a computer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/any-inaccuracies-in-this-index-may-be-explained-by-the-fact-that-it/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [My first program taught me a lot about the errors that I was going to be making in the future, and also about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/my-first-program-taught-me-a-lot-about-the-errors-that-i-was-going-to/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [It would be nice if we could design a virtual reality in Hyperbolic Space, and meet each other there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/it-would-be-nice-if-we-could-design-a-virtual-reality-in-hyperbolic/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [I have a hunch that the unknown sequences of DNA will decode into copyright notices and patent protections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/i-have-a-hunch-that-the-unknown-sequences-of-dna-will-decode-into/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [If you optimize everything, you will always be unhappy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/if-you-optimize-everything-you-will-always-be-unhappy/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [Computers are good at following instructions, but not at reading your mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/computers-are-good-at-following-instructions-but-not-at-reading-your/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [We should forget about small efficiencies, say about 97% of the time: premature optimization is the root of all evil. Yet we should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/we-should-forget-about-small-efficiencies-say-about-97-of-the-time/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [...One of the most important lessons, perhaps, is the fact that SOFTWARE IS HARD. From now on I shall have significantly greater respect for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/one-of-the-most-important-lessons-perhaps-is-the-fact-that-software/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [Always remember, however, that there’s usually a simpler and better way to do something than the first way that pops into your head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/always-remember-however-that-there-s-usually-a-simpler-and-better-way/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) [Explore all 78 Donald Knuth quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) ## More Bottom quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Filmmaking, like sex, isn't a polite enterprise. It involves a lot of mess and the bottom line is, if somebody ain't screaming, you're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-woods/filmmaking-like-sex-isn-t-a-polite-enterprise-it-involves-a-lot-of/) [James Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-woods/) > [I was terrible student. I was capable, but I never like being told what to do, so I was always in the bottom class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lilley/i-was-terrible-student-i-was-capable-but-i-never-like-being-told-what/) [Chris Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lilley/) > [The contempt for law and the contempt for the human consequences of lawbreaking go from the bottom to the top of American society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-contempt-for-law-and-the-contempt-for-the-human-consequences-of/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [I plead with my Moonlight fans to give this show a chance if they let me give it a chance. I can’t do Moonlight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-o-loughlin/i-plead-with-my-moonlight-fans-to-give-this-show-a-chance-if-they-let/) [Alex O'Loughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-o-loughlin/) > [Well, the bottom line is that I'm extremely pleased with 'The Stupids.' I'm pleased that it's coming out, and it should look good. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landis/well-the-bottom-line-is-that-i-m-extremely-pleased-with-the-stupids-i/) [John Landis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landis/) > [Search for the seed of good in every adversity. Master that principle and you will own a precious shield that will guard you well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/search-for-the-seed-of-good-in-every-adversity-master-that-principle/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [I would have had a clause in my contract; I would've definitely put some fine print in my contract that said, "If the president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-budden/i-would-have-had-a-clause-in-my-contract-i-would-ve-definitely-put/) [Joe Budden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-budden/) > [Of course the Dharma-body of the Buddha was the hedge at the bottom of the garden. At the same time, and no less obviously,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/of-course-the-dharma-body-of-the-buddha-was-the-hedge-at-the-bottom/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [When I hit bottom, I can attack the problem and get to where I want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/when-i-hit-bottom-i-can-attack-the-problem-and-get-to-where-i-want-to/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) > [If I had lost the popular vote but won the electoral college and in my first day as president the intelligence community came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/if-i-had-lost-the-popular-vote-but-won-the-electoral-college-and-in/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [The bottom line, in the professional level, no matter where you go, there's going to be competition. That's what it is. At the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-tolzien/the-bottom-line-in-the-professional-level-no-matter-where-you-go/) [Scott Tolzien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-tolzien/) > [Life is a climb and it's a struggle getting to the top but the drop to the bottom can be quick and so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/life-is-a-climb-and-it-s-a-struggle-getting-to-the-top-but-the-drop/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [One thing you learned as a Cubs fan: when you bought you ticket, you could bank on seeing the bottom of the ninth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/one-thing-you-learned-as-a-cubs-fan-when-you-bought-you-ticket-you/) [Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/) > [The political satirist usually votes against their own interests, but the bottom line is that it doesn't really matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizz-winstead/the-political-satirist-usually-votes-against-their-own-interests-but/) [Lizz Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizz-winstead/) Browse all 2,558 Bottom quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Email is a wonderful thing for people whose role in life is to be on top of things. 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