--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My whole life I have been complaining…" description: "\"My whole life I have been complaining that my work was constantly interrupted, until I discovered that my interruptions were my work.\" — Henri Nouwen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/henri-nouwen-600_complaining_my-whole-life-i-have-been-complaining-th_2015301.png" --- # My whole life I have been complaining that my work was… ![“My whole life I have been complaining that my work was constantly interrupted, until I discovered that my interruptions were my work.” quote by Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/henri-nouwen-600_complaining_my-whole-life-i-have-been-complaining-th_2015301.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/henri-nouwen-600_complaining_my-whole-life-i-have-been-complaining-th_2015301.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/henri-nouwen-600_complaining_my-whole-life-i-have-been-complaining-th_2015301.png) > “My whole life I have been complaining that my work was constantly interrupted, until I discovered that my interruptions were my work.” [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Interruptions are reframed as integral parts of work, not obstacles. **In simple terms:** Interruptions are work itself. Key Takeaway Embrace interruptions as work. Themes productivity mindfulness work dynamics Mood reflective practical Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - creative processes - time management - personal reflection Key Concepts attention flow task management Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn interruptions into productivity? - When are interruptions harmful? A Different Perspective May not apply to all job types. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Complaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complaining/) [Complaining Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complaining-work-3620737/) [Constantly Interrupted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constantly-interrupted-1067479/) [Discovered Interruptions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discovered-interruptions-2154051/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Interrupted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interrupted/) [Interruptions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interruptions/) [Interruptions Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interruptions-work-2154050/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) [Whole life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-life/) ## Related quotes > [A few years ago I met an old professor at the University of Notre Dame. Looking back on his long life of teaching, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/a-few-years-ago-i-met-an-old-professor-at-the-university-of-notre/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Other people's interruptions of your work are relatively insignificant compared with the countless times you interrupt yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-behan/other-people-s-interruptions-of-your-work-are-relatively/) [Brendan Behan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-behan/) > [The truth is people are very nice. The other truth is, it's very annoying to be constantly interrupted. I don't love myself enough to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-eisenberg/the-truth-is-people-are-very-nice-the-other-truth-is-it-s-very/) [Jesse Eisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-eisenberg/) > [“Management and efficiency studies in the work place tell us that one hour of uninterrupted time is worth three hours of time that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-chandler/management-and-efficiency-studies-in-the-work-place-tell-us-that-one/) [Steve Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-chandler/) > [I'm not complaining if my work is getting more recognition than me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javed-ali/i-m-not-complaining-if-my-work-is-getting-more-recognition-than-me/) [Javed Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javed-ali/) > [He came, not as a flash of light or as an unapproachable conqueror, but as one whose first cries were heard by a peasant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/he-came-not-as-a-flash-of-light-or-as-an-unapproachable-conqueror-but/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“Interrupted again! if it's not Jules it's the cat! that's the female speciality: interruptions!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-ferdinand-celine/interrupted-again-if-it-s-not-jules-it-s-the-cat-that-s-the-female/) [Louis-Ferdinand Céline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-ferdinand-celine/) > [We have a culture that is indirect in the extreme, where by the time you're five years old, you've watched tons of television, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ventura/we-have-a-culture-that-is-indirect-in-the-extreme-where-by-the-time/) [Michael Ventura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ventura/) > [Interruptions: The average worker gets interrupted five times each hour. It takes an average of 5 minutes to handle each interruption and 1 minute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin-toffler/interruptions-the-average-worker-gets-interrupted-five-times-each/) [Alvin Toffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin-toffler/) > [I am hungry to be interrupted For ever and ever amen O Person from Porlock come quickly And bring my thoughts to an end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-smith/i-am-hungry-to-be-interrupted-for-ever-and-ever-amen-o-person-from/) [Stevie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-smith/) > [time spent in being interrupted is not time lost. ... How do we know but that the interruption we snarl at is the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-robertson-brown-lindsay/time-spent-in-being-interrupted-is-not-time-lost-how-do-we-know-but/) [Anna Robertson Brown Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-robertson-brown-lindsay/) > [Establish an atmosphere that energizes you. Some creative people flourish in confusion; others need to be free from interruption. Many prepare themselves for work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-leland/establish-an-atmosphere-that-energizes-you-some-creative-people/) [Nita Leland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-leland/) > [... programming requires more concentration than other activities. It's the reason programmers get upset about 'quick interruptions' - such interruptions are tantamount to asking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mcconnell/programming-requires-more-concentration-than-other-activities-it-s/) [Steve McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mcconnell/) > [Circumstances may cause interruptions and delays, but never lose sight of your goal. Prepare yourself in every way you can by increasing your knowledge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-andretti/circumstances-may-cause-interruptions-and-delays-but-never-lose-sight/) [Mario Andretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-andretti/) > [I relish the time I have when there are no interruptions. Most often the best time for writing is late at night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franny-armstrong/i-relish-the-time-i-have-when-there-are-no-interruptions-most-often/) [Franny Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franny-armstrong/) ## More by Henri Nouwen > [We are not the healers, we are not the reconcilers, we are not the givers of life. We are sinful, broken, vulnerable people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/we-are-not-the-healers-we-are-not-the-reconcilers-we-are-not-the/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [The more we touch the intimate love of God which creates, sustains, and guides us, the more we recognize the multitude of fruits that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-more-we-touch-the-intimate-love-of-god-which-creates-sustains-and/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Feelings of guilt dominate our work as peacemakers we cannot last long. But when we have opened each other's eyes to the great human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/feelings-of-guilt-dominate-our-work-as-peacemakers-we-cannot-last/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [...we all want to hear stories, from the moment we are born to the moment we die. Stories connect our little lives with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/we-all-want-to-hear-stories-from-the-moment-we-are-born-to-the-moment/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [I have found it very important...to let go of my wishes and start hoping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/i-have-found-it-very-important-to-let-go-of-my-wishes-and-start-hoping/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Simply being with someone is difficult because it asks of us that we share in the other's vulnerability, enter with him or her into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/simply-being-with-someone-is-difficult-because-it-asks-of-us-that-we/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Somewhere we know that without silence, words lose their meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/somewhere-we-know-that-without-silence-words-lose-their-meaning/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Jesus says, "Keep your heart on the kingdom first. Keep your heart on God's love. Keep focused on the fact that you are God's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/jesus-says-keep-your-heart-on-the-kingdom-first-keep-your-heart-on/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [This sounds very simple and maybe even trite, but very few people know that they are loved without condition or limits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/this-sounds-very-simple-and-maybe-even-trite-but-very-few-people-know/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [“The more preoccupied we are with security the more visible the force of death becomes, whether in the form of a pistol beside our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-more-preoccupied-we-are-with-security-the-more-visible-the-force/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [If you feel a great loneliness and a deep longing for human contact, you have to be extremely discerning...and ask yourself whether this situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/if-you-feel-a-great-loneliness-and-a-deep-longing-for-human-contact/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [I choose L'Arche; L'Arche chooses me. I would be dead if I weren't here. I need people to love me and care for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/i-choose-l-arche-l-arche-chooses-me-i-would-be-dead-if-i-weren-t-here/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [The truth, even though I cannot feel it right now, is that I am the chosen child of God, precious in God's eyes, called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/the-truth-even-though-i-cannot-feel-it-right-now-is-that-i-am-the/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [In a world so torn apart by rivalry, anger, and hatred, we have the privileged vocation to be living signs of a love that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/in-a-world-so-torn-apart-by-rivalry-anger-and-hatred-we-have-the/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) > [Where true inner freedom is, there is God. And where God is, there we want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/where-true-inner-freedom-is-there-is-god-and-where-god-is-there-we/) [Henri Nouwen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) [Explore all 452 Henri Nouwen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/) ## More Complaining quotes > [And you can't complain about kissing Emma Watson. Isn't that what everyone in the world wants to do? I've known Emma for a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-redmayne/and-you-can-t-complain-about-kissing-emma-watson-isn-t-that-what/) [Eddie Redmayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-redmayne/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [People who are complaining about the Fed are people who've been predicting runaway inflation for five and six years, and it hasn't happened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-krugman/people-who-are-complaining-about-the-fed-are-people-who-ve-been/) [Paul Krugman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-krugman/) > [The one thing I absolutely hate about social media are the people who abuse it. Whenever I see a person who constantly posts negative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jazmin-garcia/the-one-thing-i-absolutely-hate-about-social-media-are-the-people-who/) [Jazmin Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jazmin-garcia/) > [They have no right to complain! If women were cool with knowing their man is cheating on them then they have no right to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-williams/they-have-no-right-to-complain-if-women-were-cool-with-knowing-their/) [Eric Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-williams/) > [“Don't wait, just sweat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/don-t-wait-just-sweat/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [Do not complain of life's unfairness. It is never fair - at best it is impartial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-gemmell/do-not-complain-of-life-s-unfairness-it-is-never-fair-at-best-it-is/) [David Gemmell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-gemmell/) > [But if people will laugh at my work and keep a sound roof over my head, who am I to complain?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-burke/but-if-people-will-laugh-at-my-work-and-keep-a-sound-roof-over-my/) [Billie Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-burke/) > [I think we need to talk about mental illness a lot more. People complain about tax dollars and say we don't have the money.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-long/i-think-we-need-to-talk-about-mental-illness-a-lot-more-people/) [Nia Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-long/) > [Instead of complaining about your circumstances, get busy creating new ones. You either suffer the pain of discipline or the pain of regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/instead-of-complaining-about-your-circumstances-get-busy-creating-new/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To become a celebrity is to become a brand name. There is Ivory Soap, Rice Krispies, and Philip Roth. Ivory is the soap that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/to-become-a-celebrity-is-to-become-a-brand-name-there-is-ivory-soap/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [You shouldn't get to live in society and give nothing back. People complain about their taxes, yet they do nothing for the community. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-turner/you-shouldn-t-get-to-live-in-society-and-give-nothing-back-people/) [Kathleen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-turner/) > [I was so drunk last night I fell down and missed the floor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-martin/i-was-so-drunk-last-night-i-fell-down-and-missed-the-floor/) [Dean Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-martin/) > [Once the war began, the government could do anything 'necessary' to win it; so it was with the 'final solution of the Jewish problem,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-mayer/once-the-war-began-the-government-could-do-anything-necessary-to-win/) [Milton Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-mayer/) > [I'll tell you that the dog whistle politics is badly missing the mark. Because, you know, as I've been speaking about it, sure, I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naheed-nenshi/i-ll-tell-you-that-the-dog-whistle-politics-is-badly-missing-the-mark/) [Naheed Nenshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naheed-nenshi/) [Browse all 1,994 Complaining quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complaining/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My whole life I have been complaining that my work was constantly interrupted, until I discovered that my interruptions were my work.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henri Nouwen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/my-whole-life-i-have-been-complaining-that-my-work-was-constantly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Complaining" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/my-whole-life-i-have-been-complaining-that-my-work-was-constantly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/henri-nouwen-600_complaining_my-whole-life-i-have-been-complaining-th_2015301.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/henri-nouwen-600_complaining_my-whole-life-i-have-been-complaining-th_2015301.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee0/henri-nouwen-600_complaining_my-whole-life-i-have-been-complaining-th_2015301.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My whole life I have been complaining that my work was constantly interrupted, until I discovered that my…” — Henri Nouwen", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Henri Nouwen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-nouwen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My whole life I have been...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/my-whole-life-i-have-been-complaining-that-my-work-was-constantly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-nouwen/my-whole-life-i-have-been-complaining-that-my-work-was-constantly/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```