--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's nothing to do when you're locked…" description: "\"There's nothing to do when you're locked in a vacancy.\" — John Hughes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/john-hughes-10415_locked_there-s-nothing-to-do-when-you-re-locked_2523054.png" --- # There's nothing to do when you're locked in a vacancy. ![“There's nothing to do when you're locked in a vacancy.” quote by John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/john-hughes-10415_locked_there-s-nothing-to-do-when-you-re-locked_2523054.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/john-hughes-10415_locked_there-s-nothing-to-do-when-you-re-locked_2523054.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/john-hughes-10415_locked_there-s-nothing-to-do-when-you-re-locked_2523054.png) > “There's nothing to do when you're locked in a vacancy.” [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. When stuck in a void, inactivity leads to boredom and a sense of emptiness. **In simple terms:** Idle time feels empty. Key Takeaway Find purpose or activity to fill gaps. Themes boredom vacancy purpose Mood contemplative motivational Type self-help cinematic When to use this quote - unemployment - creative blocks - waiting rooms Key Concepts psychology of motivation existential void Questions to Reflect On - What could you create during idle moments? - How does emptiness affect mental health? A Different Perspective Idle periods can be opportunities for reflection or growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Locked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/locked/) [Locked Vacancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/locked-vacancy-1270714/) [Vacancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacancy/) ## Related quotes > [“This…hole in the world, man-shaped. Me-shaped. A vacancy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasinda-wilder/this-hole-in-the-world-man-shaped-me-shaped-a-vacancy/) [Jasinda Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasinda-wilder/) > [He was a solemn, unsmiling, sanctimonious old iceberg who looked like he was waiting for a vacancy in the Trinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/he-was-a-solemn-unsmiling-sanctimonious-old-iceberg-who-looked-like/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [History is representational, while time is abstract; both of these artifices may be found in museums, where they span everybody's own vacancy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-smithson/history-is-representational-while-time-is-abstract-both-of-these/) [Robert Smithson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-smithson/) > [“The first thing, of course, is to find a vacancy, a place where a teacher is wanted, and the second thing is to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-e-sanders/the-first-thing-of-course-is-to-find-a-vacancy-a-place-where-a/) [Thomas E. Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-e-sanders/) > [“The vacancy in your heart doesn't connotes that nobody is seeking for the job of servicing your feelings, but because the employee must first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/the-vacancy-in-your-heart-doesn-t-connotes-that-nobody-is-seeking-for/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Redd Towers Apartments, whose advertising slogan, 'If you lived here, you'd be home by now,' did little to fill vacancies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-beddor/redd-towers-apartments-whose-advertising-slogan-if-you-lived-here-you/) [Frank Beddor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-beddor/) > [A proud man is one who waits for a vacancy in the Trinity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/a-proud-man-is-one-who-waits-for-a-vacancy-in-the-trinity/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Art as an aesthetic principle was supported by thousands of years of discernment and psychic rewards, but art as a commodity was held up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/art-as-an-aesthetic-principle-was-supported-by-thousands-of-years-of/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [The closer you get to Number 10 the more you see what a back-breaking job that is, the pressure is absolutely constant and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lidington/the-closer-you-get-to-number-10-the-more-you-see-what-a-back-breaking/) [David Lidington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lidington/) > [Action is transitory, a step, a blow, The motion of a muscle, this way or that, 'Tis done--And in the after-vacancy, We wonder at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/action-is-transitory-a-step-a-blow-the-motion-of-a-muscle-this-way-or/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [It infuriated him to think that there were still people in the state who believed in a loving and merciful God. There are mystics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/it-infuriated-him-to-think-that-there-were-still-people-in-the-state/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [The infinity of this vacancy, the pervasive pain, the longing for some spirit, some lightness, some joy - that's all that is left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-manning/the-infinity-of-this-vacancy-the-pervasive-pain-the-longing-for-some/) [Martha Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-manning/) > [I felt I had to take the Celtic opportunity. You quickly learn that any managerial vacancy attracts up to 60 or 70 applicants, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/i-felt-i-had-to-take-the-celtic-opportunity-you-quickly-learn-that/) [John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/) > [“The vacancy left by absence of worship is filled by mere killing of time and by boredom, which is directly related to inability to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/the-vacancy-left-by-absence-of-worship-is-filled-by-mere-killing-of/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [The mind abhors a vacancy & is wont to people it with phantoms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mitchell/the-mind-abhors-a-vacancy-is-wont-to-people-it-with-phantoms/) [David Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mitchell/) ## More by John Hughes > [The outpouring of generosity is overwhelming. People across the Lehigh Valley are moved by the images they are seeing on TV and they want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/the-outpouring-of-generosity-is-overwhelming-people-across-the-lehigh/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [Most of my characters are romantic rather than sexual. I think that's an essential difference in my pictures. I think they are more accurate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/most-of-my-characters-are-romantic-rather-than-sexual-i-think-that-s/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [Maitre D' : I appreciate your understanding. Ferris: Don't think twice. It's understanding that makes it possible for people like us to tolerate a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/maitre-d-i-appreciate-your-understanding-ferris-don-t-think-twice-it/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [You can go home and put the record on and dance. I want to watch how the band does it. I want to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/you-can-go-home-and-put-the-record-on-and-dance-i-want-to-watch-how/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [At the time I came along, Hollywood's idea of teen movies meant there had to be a lot of nudity, usually involving boys in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/at-the-time-i-came-along-hollywood-s-idea-of-teen-movies-meant-there/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [I don't consider myself qualified to do a movie about international intrigue - I seldom leave the country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/i-don-t-consider-myself-qualified-to-do-a-movie-about-international/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [Those who say 'you only live once' have never read a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/those-who-say-you-only-live-once-have-never-read-a-book/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [If I'm on a roll, and I finish a script at 3:00, I'll start another at 3:02.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/if-i-m-on-a-roll-and-i-finish-a-script-at-3-00-i-ll-start-another-at/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [I'm a former hippie, so clothes are important to me - your clothes defined you in that period. I guess clothes still defines people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/i-m-a-former-hippie-so-clothes-are-important-to-me-your-clothes/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [I think it's wrong not to allow someone the right to have a problem because of their age. People say, 'Well, they're young. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/i-think-it-s-wrong-not-to-allow-someone-the-right-to-have-a-problem/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [It's arguable whether a hit song is gonna add to the business a film does. There are plenty of films that didn't do any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/it-s-arguable-whether-a-hit-song-is-gonna-add-to-the-business-a-film/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [A geek is a guy who has everything going for him but he's just too young. He's got the software but he doesn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/a-geek-is-a-guy-who-has-everything-going-for-him-but-he-s-just-too/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [I don't think I'm making any great statements, and I certainly don't think I'm making art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/i-don-t-think-i-m-making-any-great-statements-and-i-certainly-don-t/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [I so desperately hate to end these movies that the first thing I do when I'm done is write another one. Then I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/i-so-desperately-hate-to-end-these-movies-that-the-first-thing-i-do/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [What a director should be doing is making it appear as though there was no script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/what-a-director-should-be-doing-is-making-it-appear-as-though-there/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) [Explore all 66 John Hughes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) ## More Locked quotes > [Women have seen that they have locked themselves up with feminist writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathalie-sarraute/women-have-seen-that-they-have-locked-themselves-up-with-feminist/) [Nathalie Sarraute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathalie-sarraute/) > [The dark ages still reign over all humanity, and the depth and persistence of this domination are only now becoming clear. This Dark Ages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-buckminster-fuller/the-dark-ages-still-reign-over-all-humanity-and-the-depth-and/) [R. Buckminster Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-buckminster-fuller/) > [One of the first houses we lived in was like out of a fairy story. We had a stream that ran through our garden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emilia-clarke/one-of-the-first-houses-we-lived-in-was-like-out-of-a-fairy-story-we/) [Emilia Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emilia-clarke/) > [A children's author on a soapbox is not a pleasant sight but I have become drawn into issues, slightly unwillingly, relating to young people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-horowitz/a-children-s-author-on-a-soapbox-is-not-a-pleasant-sight-but-i-have/) [Anthony Horowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-horowitz/) > [By taking out a loan, I am committing myself to years of interest repayments, and therefore to years of wage slavery. And the UK…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/by-taking-out-a-loan-i-am-committing-myself-to-years-of-interest/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [In the old days, people thought that wouldn't be amenable to life. Modern studies with computers have shown that it's okay to be tidally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-seager/in-the-old-days-people-thought-that-wouldn-t-be-amenable-to-life/) [Sara Seager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-seager/) > [Many a cat can only be lured in by switching off all the lights and keeping very still. Until the indignant cry of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-brown/many-a-cat-can-only-be-lured-in-by-switching-off-all-the-lights-and/) [Pam Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-brown/) > [I think too many times people can get rigid in life, put our blinders on, get locked into one way of thinking, and forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-smalley/i-think-too-many-times-people-can-get-rigid-in-life-put-our-blinders/) [Dave Smalley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-smalley/) > [Managing our emotions increases intuition and clarity. It helps us self-regulate our brain chemicals and internal hormones. It gives us natural highs, the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doc-childre/managing-our-emotions-increases-intuition-and-clarity-it-helps-us/) [Doc Childre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doc-childre/) > [I do like sci-fi. When I was a kid, I was always sort of locked into sci-fi stories. So, sci-fi has always had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-do-like-sci-fi-when-i-was-a-kid-i-was-always-sort-of-locked-into/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [Though I can't change what happened, I can choose how to react. And I don't want to spend the rest of my life being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tori-amos/though-i-can-t-change-what-happened-i-can-choose-how-to-react-and-i/) [Tori Amos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tori-amos/) > [Genius, whether locked up in a cell or roaming at large, is always solitary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sand/genius-whether-locked-up-in-a-cell-or-roaming-at-large-is-always/) [George Sand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sand/) > [Let the people discover you! You might have the key of the locked doors in their lives! Open yourself to the world; you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/let-the-people-discover-you-you-might-have-the-key-of-the-locked/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [During his presidency, Truman and the Republicans were locked in a series of furious assaults on each other that outraged him and made Truman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/during-his-presidency-truman-and-the-republicans-were-locked-in-a/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Only we can break the concrete off our feets & chains we have locked ourselves in!!!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-cowell/only-we-can-break-the-concrete-off-our-feets-chains-we-have-locked/) [Larry Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-cowell/) [Browse all 709 Locked quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/locked/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's nothing to do when you're locked in a vacancy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Hughes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/there-s-nothing-to-do-when-you-re-locked-in-a-vacancy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Locked" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/there-s-nothing-to-do-when-you-re-locked-in-a-vacancy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/john-hughes-10415_locked_there-s-nothing-to-do-when-you-re-locked_2523054.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/john-hughes-10415_locked_there-s-nothing-to-do-when-you-re-locked_2523054.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b9/john-hughes-10415_locked_there-s-nothing-to-do-when-you-re-locked_2523054.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's nothing to do when you're locked in a vacancy.” — John Hughes", "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": "John Hughes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's nothing to do when you're...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/there-s-nothing-to-do-when-you-re-locked-in-a-vacancy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/there-s-nothing-to-do-when-you-re-locked-in-a-vacancy/#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 } } ] } ```