--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But certain people just think it's their…" description: "\"But certain people just think it's their job to freak out. As long as they're freaking out, they feel busy, like they must be doing work. Getting upset..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1d/esm-raji-codell-26371_busy_but-certain-people-just-think-it-s-their_867603.jpg" --- # But certain people just think it's their job to freak out… ![“But certain people just think it's their job to freak out. As long as they're freaking out, they feel busy, like they must be doing work. Getting upset is force, but no motion. Unless we are moving the children forward, we aren't doing work.” quote by Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1d/esm-raji-codell-26371_busy_but-certain-people-just-think-it-s-their_867603.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1d/esm-raji-codell-26371_busy_but-certain-people-just-think-it-s-their_867603.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f1d/esm-raji-codell-26371_busy_but-certain-people-just-think-it-s-their_867603.jpg) > “But certain people just think it's their job to freak out. As long as they're freaking out, they feel busy, like they must be doing work. Getting upset is force, but no motion. Unless we are moving the children forward, we aren't doing work.” [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People sometimes create unnecessary drama to feel occupied, mistaking frantic activity for productive work. **In simple terms:** Busy‑work feels like real work. Key Takeaway Focus on meaningful progress. Themes productivity stress busywork purpose motivation Mood anxious determined Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - project planning - team meetings - personal goal setting Key Concepts psychology time management meaningful work Questions to Reflect On - How can we differentiate anxiety from busyness? - What habits promote purposeful action? A Different Perspective The quote may dismiss genuine anxiety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Certain People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain-people/) [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Feel Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel-busy-823850/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Force](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/force/) [Freak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freak/) [Freaking out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freaking-out/) [Getting Upset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-upset-918676/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Moving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving/) [Moving Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moving-children-918677/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Upset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upset/) ## Related quotes > [It's fun to be in a small club and to be able to look somebody right in the eye and watch them just freak.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/it-s-fun-to-be-in-a-small-club-and-to-be-able-to-look-somebody-right/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [I actually, legitimately feel that I'm not busy enough. I want to be so busy that it's overwhelming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-armisen/i-actually-legitimately-feel-that-i-m-not-busy-enough-i-want-to-be-so/) [Fred Armisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-armisen/) > [Sometimes I feel I'm too 'busy' around my daughter. It bothers me. I consciously plan 'mommy and me time' for this reason. Just her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonja-morgan/sometimes-i-feel-i-m-too-busy-around-my-daughter-it-bothers-me-i/) [Sonja Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonja-morgan/) > [“how you can feel less busy? Start by learning the power of “No!”—as in “No, thank you,” and “No, I’m not going to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/how-you-can-feel-less-busy-start-by-learning-the-power-of-no-as-in-no/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [Facebook is great for getting upset about things people say even though you haven't seen them in 12 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dov-davidoff/facebook-is-great-for-getting-upset-about-things-people-say-even/) [Dov Davidoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dov-davidoff/) > [If I double-fault or I miss a shot I don't think I should miss, instead of getting more upset, I can think back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-sock/if-i-double-fault-or-i-miss-a-shot-i-don-t-think-i-should-miss/) [Jack Sock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-sock/) > [I don't get upset over things I can control, because if I can control them there's no sense in getting upset. And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-rivers/i-don-t-get-upset-over-things-i-can-control-because-if-i-can-control/) [Mickey Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-rivers/) > [If you can do something about it, then why get upset? If you can't do anything about it, then why bother getting upset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/if-you-can-do-something-about-it-then-why-get-upset-if-you-can-t-do/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“If something's worth getting upset about, then there must be something worth getting happy about. And if something's worth getting happy about, then there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janne-teller/if-something-s-worth-getting-upset-about-then-there-must-be-something/) [Janne Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janne-teller/) > [Sometimes getting upset with yourself is necessary when you face the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-van-sant/sometimes-getting-upset-with-yourself-is-necessary-when-you-face-the/) [Gus Van Sant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-van-sant/) > [Getting an upset tummy is never pleasant, and it's worse if you get a funny tummy a long way from home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-lynn/getting-an-upset-tummy-is-never-pleasant-and-it-s-worse-if-you-get-a/) [Vera Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-lynn/) > [“It's not worth getting upset about, Mrs. Dominic. Down in the city they don't know how the other half lives, and they can afford…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/it-s-not-worth-getting-upset-about-mrs-dominic-down-in-the-city-they/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [“I asked her why she was getting so upset about such a small thing. She said, 'It doesn't feel small to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-asked-her-why-she-was-getting-so-upset-about-such-a-small-thing-she/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [I understand that people talk, and frankly, I can't control that. There's no point in getting upset over a thing that you can't control.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arjun-kapoor/i-understand-that-people-talk-and-frankly-i-can-t-control-that-there/) [Arjun Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arjun-kapoor/) > [The next time I find myself getting upset over something petty, I'll remember the ones who are really suffering in this world. The ones…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laleh-javaheri/the-next-time-i-find-myself-getting-upset-over-something-petty-i-ll/) [Laleh Javaheri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laleh-javaheri/) ## More by Esme Raji Codell > [“Nobody really knows which is happening when the teacher closes the door. At worst, mediocrity. At best, miracles.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/nobody-really-knows-which-is-happening-when-the-teacher-closes-the/) [Esmé Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [A library is a platform upon which we catch trains to Every Where and Any Place, Another Time and Across Space. All aboard!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/a-library-is-a-platform-upon-which-we-catch-trains-to-every-where-and/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“And when you go to God's house, it ain't got to be no fashion show. You just come as you are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/and-when-you-go-to-god-s-house-it-ain-t-got-to-be-no-fashion-show-you/) [Esmé Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“I tend not to share things unnecessarily with those I despise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/i-tend-not-to-share-things-unnecessarily-with-those-i-despise/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [If you give people an idea these days, they just think you are sharing it with them so they can critique it, play devil's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/if-you-give-people-an-idea-these-days-they-just-think-you-are-sharing/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“Why do these dumb fucks keep guns around the house? They make the world as ruinous as they imagine it is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/why-do-these-dumb-fucks-keep-guns-around-the-house-they-make-the/) [Esmé Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [The goal is not necessarily to succeed but to keep trying, to be the kind of person who has ideas and see them through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/the-goal-is-not-necessarily-to-succeed-but-to-keep-trying-to-be-the/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“Today so many creative and devoted teachers not only have to struggle against unimaginative administrations, fearful parents, and wearied colleagues, they have also to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/today-so-many-creative-and-devoted-teachers-not-only-have-to-struggle/) [Esmé Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“So much of teaching is sharing. Learning results in sharing, sharing results in change, change is learning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/so-much-of-teaching-is-sharing-learning-results-in-sharing-sharing/) [Esmé Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“So much of teaching is sharing. Learning results in sharing, sharing results in change, change is learning. The only other job with so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/so-much-of-teaching-is-sharing-learning-results-in-sharing-sharing-2/) [Esmé Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [So much of teaching is sharing. Learning results in sharing, sharing results in change, change is learning. The only other job with so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/so-much-of-teaching-is-sharing-learning-results-in-sharing-sharing-3/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“The difference between a beginning teacher and an experienced one is that the beginning teacher asks, "How am I doing?" and the experienced teacher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/the-difference-between-a-beginning-teacher-and-an-experienced-one-is/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“Mr. Turner gets mad when I say, “I don’t work for you, I work for the children.” But it’s true. Isn’t it? I’ll find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/mr-turner-gets-mad-when-i-say-i-don-t-work-for-you-i-work-for-the/) [Esmé Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“It's not our job to be liked(teachers)", I reminded her. "Its our job to help them be smart(students)". Secretly, I thought, who gives a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/it-s-not-our-job-to-be-liked-teachers-i-reminded-her-its-our-job-to/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) > [“...'Loving children is what teachers do for extra credit. It's not the main assignment.' 'Seems to me that the extra credit is more important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esm-raji-codell/loving-children-is-what-teachers-do-for-extra-credit-it-s-not-the/) [Esme Raji Codell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) [Explore all 22 Esme Raji Codell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esm-raji-codell/) ## 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": "But certain people just think it's their job to freak out. As long as they're freaking out, they feel busy, like they must be doing work. Getting upset is force, but no motion. 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