--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We loved killing time and had perfected…" description: "\"We loved killing time and had perfected several ways of doing so. We wandered the hallways carrying papers that indicated some mission of business when..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/joshua-ferris-4070_candy_we-loved-killing-time-and-had-perfected_160150.jpg" --- # We loved killing time and had perfected several ways of… ![“We loved killing time and had perfected several ways of doing so. We wandered the hallways carrying papers that indicated some mission of business when in reality we were in search of free candy.” quote by Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/joshua-ferris-4070_candy_we-loved-killing-time-and-had-perfected_160150.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/joshua-ferris-4070_candy_we-loved-killing-time-and-had-perfected_160150.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/joshua-ferris-4070_candy_we-loved-killing-time-and-had-perfected_160150.jpg) > “We loved killing time and had perfected several ways of doing so. We wandered the hallways carrying papers that indicated some mission of business when in reality we were in search of free candy.” [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often disguise work as leisure, seeking small pleasures like candy while pretending to be busy. **In simple terms:** We pretend to work while looking for fun treats. Key Takeaway Recognize and balance genuine productivity with leisure. Themes workplace distraction productivity leisure deception Mood lighthearted critical Type observational humorous When to use this quote - office environment - remote work - creative brainstorming Key Concepts behavioral economics time management motivation Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate between needed breaks and avoidance? - What strategies keep you focused without feeling deprived? A Different Perspective Leisure can become avoidance of real tasks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Candy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candy/) [Free Candy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-candy-1758169/) [Hallways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hallways/) [Hallways Carrying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hallways-carrying-1758171/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Killing Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing-time/) [Missions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missions/) [Paper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paper/) [Papers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/papers/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Perfected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-perfected-1758172/) [Time to kill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-to-kill/) [Wandered Hallways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wandered-hallways-1758170/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [By the time you have perfected any style of writing, you have always outgrown it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/by-the-time-you-have-perfected-any-style-of-writing-you-have-always/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [The French have no such expression as 'killing time.' In their more philosophical vocabulary the term is 'passing time,' which means savoring all moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-otis-skinner/the-french-have-no-such-expression-as-killing-time-in-their-more/) [Cornelia Otis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-otis-skinner/) > [Killing time takes practice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-elizabeth-gordon/killing-time-takes-practice/) [Karen Elizabeth Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-elizabeth-gordon/) > [While the fool is enjoying the little he has, I will hunt for more. The way to hunt for more is to utilize your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-brisbane/while-the-fool-is-enjoying-the-little-he-has-i-will-hunt-for-more-the/) [Arthur Brisbane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-brisbane/) > [I'm amazed that I can sit down, put a guitar in my hands and start playing kind of free style, and it will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/i-m-amazed-that-i-can-sit-down-put-a-guitar-in-my-hands-and-start/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [We were just killing time, we were young and restless, and needed to unwind. There ain't nothing that lasts forever, forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-adams/we-were-just-killing-time-we-were-young-and-restless-and-needed-to/) [Bryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-adams/) > [I'm killing time while I wait for life to shower me with meaning and happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/i-m-killing-time-while-i-wait-for-life-to-shower-me-with-meaning-and/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [Work is the best method devised for killing time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/work-is-the-best-method-devised-for-killing-time/) [William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/) > [Killing time is the chief end of our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ugo-betti/killing-time-is-the-chief-end-of-our-society/) [Ugo Betti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ugo-betti/) > [Does killing time damage eternity?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/does-killing-time-damage-eternity/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [Killing time. Its a very crass and breezy expression when you ponder it for a moment, considering that time, after all, is killing us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher/killing-time-its-a-very-crass-and-breezy-expression-when-you-ponder/) [Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher/) > [Among the aimless, unsuccessful or worthless, you often hear talk about 'killing time.' The man who is always killing time is really killing his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-brisbane/among-the-aimless-unsuccessful-or-worthless-you-often-hear-talk-about/) [Arthur Brisbane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-brisbane/) > [I may not look it, but I can be a very patient guy. And killing time is one of my specialities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-may-not-look-it-but-i-can-be-a-very-patient-guy-and-killing-time-is/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Killing time is not murder, it is suicide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-a-beard/killing-time-is-not-murder-it-is-suicide/) [Charles A. Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-beard/) > [One sin seldom mentioned is that of killing time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/one-sin-seldom-mentioned-is-that-of-killing-time/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) ## More by Joshua Ferris > [“Using a wide variety of media, we could demonstrate for our fellow Americans their anxieties, desires, insufficiencies, and frustrations--and how to assuage them all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/using-a-wide-variety-of-media-we-could-demonstrate-for-our-fellow/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [If someone were plucked from the group and given those responsibilities, they might find themselves growing more aloof, just by virtue of that promotion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/if-someone-were-plucked-from-the-group-and-given-those/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“I was already at one remove before the Internet came along. I need another remove? Now I have to spend the time that I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/i-was-already-at-one-remove-before-the-internet-came-along-i-need/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“One thing we knew for certain- despite all our certainties, it was very difficult to guess what one individual was thinking at any given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/one-thing-we-knew-for-certain-despite-all-our-certainties-it-was-very/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [To conform is to lose your soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/to-conform-is-to-lose-your-soul/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“There was so much unpleasantness in the workaday world. The last thing you ever wanted to do at night was go home and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/there-was-so-much-unpleasantness-in-the-workaday-world-the-last-thing/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“For a long time thereafter I stared almost steadily at the bright and ostentatious VERIZON sign on top of one of the tallest buildings—the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/for-a-long-time-thereafter-i-stared-almost-steadily-at-the-bright-and/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“Of course I alienate myself from society. It's the only way I know of not being constantly reminded of all the ways I'm alienated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/of-course-i-alienate-myself-from-society-it-s-the-only-way-i-know-of/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“That was the last time she was allowed back at the Bennigan's. From then on, she started drinking at the T.G.I. Friday's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/that-was-the-last-time-she-was-allowed-back-at-the-bennigan-s-from/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [I've always thought things were absurd. It would take a lot more effort for me to see things as reasonable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/i-ve-always-thought-things-were-absurd-it-would-take-a-lot-more/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“...she had the conviction of the newly converted, which wouldn't last forever, but would for the moment brook no discouragement or allow for second-guessing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/she-had-the-conviction-of-the-newly-converted-which-wouldn-t-last/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“I swore never to use the emoticon ever… until one day, offhandedly and without much thought, I used my first :) and, shortly thereafter,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/i-swore-never-to-use-the-emoticon-ever-until-one-day-offhandedly-and/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [I think one of the ways you avoid being angry is to avoid being angry at the people in power. They might do crappy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/i-think-one-of-the-ways-you-avoid-being-angry-is-to-avoid-being-angry/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“Without monstrous distortions, I was slowly learning, without lies and hypocrisy, one cannot have the idealized American life I so longed for.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/without-monstrous-distortions-i-was-slowly-learning-without-lies-and/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) > [“We hated not knowing something. We hated not knowing who was going to walk Spanish down the hall. How would our bills get paid?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/we-hated-not-knowing-something-we-hated-not-knowing-who-was-going-to/) [Joshua Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) [Explore all 114 Joshua Ferris quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/) ## More Candy quotes > [“Most girls get flowers or candy. I get a declaration of martial law.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-shearin/most-girls-get-flowers-or-candy-i-get-a-declaration-of-martial-law/) [Lisa Shearin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-shearin/) > [I like Valentine's Day. The trouble is the florists and the candy-makers and the card people are all advertising so much, you don't dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-like-valentine-s-day-the-trouble-is-the-florists-and-the-candy/) [Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/) > [“Did you know that at one time trick-or-treating was stopped? It's true. During World War II children were not allowed to trick or treat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-bozzo/did-you-know-that-at-one-time-trick-or-treating-was-stopped-it-s-true/) [Linda Bozzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-bozzo/) > [Love is like a piece of candy. You can buy it anywhere but given by the right person is what makes it special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-a-piece-of-candy-you-can-buy-it-anywhere-but-given-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Two at a time, Vera ate her peanut M&Ms. Except for the red ones. These, she alleged, were made from the guts of dead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/two-at-a-time-vera-ate-her-peanut-m-ms-except-for-the-red-ones-these/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [DAMN YOU CANDY CRUSH!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/damn-you-candy-crush/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm one of those people. I can be sold by the candy in life, and then it can be stripped away within a split…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ashcroft/i-m-one-of-those-people-i-can-be-sold-by-the-candy-in-life-and-then/) [Richard Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ashcroft/) > [The truth is, one of the best things about being 15 years old is that things like candy are still exciting. Once you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-timpf/the-truth-is-one-of-the-best-things-about-being-15-years-old-is-that/) [Kat Timpf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-timpf/) > [“Goddamn sneaking candy thief found my cache" Peabody pursed her lips "You had candy in the file cabilnet." she angled her head "Under M?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jd-robb/goddamn-sneaking-candy-thief-found-my-cache-peabody-pursed-her-lips/) [JD Robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jd-robb/) > [I remember candy rationing until I was, like, 7.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-curry/i-remember-candy-rationing-until-i-was-like-7/) [Tim Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-curry/) > [Dont expect someone to stay sweet forever because even the sweetest candy has an expiration date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-expect-someone-to-stay-sweet-forever-because-even-the-sweetest/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Of all the jaw-droppingly beautiful women who've become genuine movie stars, none has had a longer film career (62 years), has been filmed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-osborne/of-all-the-jaw-droppingly-beautiful-women-who-ve-become-genuine-movie/) [Robert Osborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-osborne/) > [“I haven’t had cotton candy in forever,” he said. “I’d forgotten how…sugary it is.” “It’s pure sugar.” “I wonder who invented it.” “I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-hawthorne/i-haven-t-had-cotton-candy-in-forever-he-said-i-d-forgotten-how/) [Rachel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-hawthorne/) > [Happy Sweetest Day! Who wants to be my sweetheart? Anyone? No? Okay, More candy for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/happy-sweetest-day-who-wants-to-be-my-sweetheart-anyone-no-okay-more/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I feel like cotton candy: sugar and air. Squeeze me and I’d turn into a small sickly damp wad of weeping pinky-red. “I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-feel-like-cotton-candy-sugar-and-air-squeeze-me-and-i-d-turn-into-a/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) [Browse all 792 Candy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/candy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We loved killing time and had perfected several ways of doing so. We wandered the hallways carrying papers that indicated some mission of business when in reality we were in search of free candy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joshua Ferris" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/we-loved-killing-time-and-had-perfected-several-ways-of-doing-so-we/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Candy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/we-loved-killing-time-and-had-perfected-several-ways-of-doing-so-we/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/joshua-ferris-4070_candy_we-loved-killing-time-and-had-perfected_160150.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/joshua-ferris-4070_candy_we-loved-killing-time-and-had-perfected_160150.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc5/joshua-ferris-4070_candy_we-loved-killing-time-and-had-perfected_160150.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We loved killing time and had perfected several ways of doing so. We wandered the hallways carrying papers…” — Joshua Ferris", "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": "Joshua Ferris", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-ferris/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We loved killing time and had...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/we-loved-killing-time-and-had-perfected-several-ways-of-doing-so-we/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-ferris/we-loved-killing-time-and-had-perfected-several-ways-of-doing-so-we/#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 } } ] } ```