--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It used to be that wealthy people were…" description: "\"It used to be that wealthy people were the leisure class, and having time off was a status symbol. That's switched now: being busy and overworked is th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/katrina-onstad-31482_being-busy_it-used-to-be-that-wealthy-people-were-t_2207318.jpg" --- # It used to be that wealthy people were the leisure class… ![“It used to be that wealthy people were the leisure class, and having time off was a status symbol. That's switched now: being busy and overworked is the reality for many white-collar workers, and there's a kind of perverse currency to that, competitive busy-ness. At the other end of the income…” quote by Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/katrina-onstad-31482_being-busy_it-used-to-be-that-wealthy-people-were-t_2207318.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/katrina-onstad-31482_being-busy_it-used-to-be-that-wealthy-people-were-t_2207318.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/39e/katrina-onstad-31482_being-busy_it-used-to-be-that-wealthy-people-were-t_2207318.jpg) > “It used to be that wealthy people were the leisure class, and having time off was a status symbol. That's switched now: being busy and overworked is the reality for many white-collar workers, and there's a kind of perverse currency to that, competitive busy-ness. At the other end of the income scale, there's a swath of lower-wage workers who are underemployed or unemployed, with too much unwanted leisure, and zero status for that. For shift workers, devices mean they're accessible in ways they weren't before, susceptible to that call from the boss to log more hours.” [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wealthy once signaled status by leisure, now overwork signals success, while low‑wage workers face unwanted idle time and stigma. **In simple terms:** Busy is now a badge of status; idle time is devalued. Key Takeaway Recognize and value time beyond productivity metrics. Themes status work culture class disparity technology leisure Mood reflective critical analytical Type philosophical social commentary When to use this quote - career advancement - gig economy - remote work - unemployment - work‑life balance Key Concepts social signaling economic inequality digital connectivity Questions to Reflect On - How does your perception of “busy” affect your self‑worth? - What can be done to re‑value leisure? A Different Perspective Busy culture can lead to burnout and neglect of well‑being. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-busy/) [Boss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boss/) [Currency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/currency/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Status symbol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/status-symbol/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [What people who are doing shift work or managing shift workers or deciding to put people on shift schedules to begin with should realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessa-gamble/what-people-who-are-doing-shift-work-or-managing-shift-workers-or/) [Jessa Gamble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessa-gamble/) > [“Parents like Jennifer, Susan, and Rae express desires that are quite modest. Full-time hours come first. That is a prize that can be astonishingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/parents-like-jennifer-susan-and-rae-express-desires-that-are-quite/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [Low-wage workers are also consumers. It's just common sense: when these workers have more take-home pay it leads to spending that trickles up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-price/low-wage-workers-are-also-consumers-it-s-just-common-sense-when-these/) Mark Price > [There are very few people at the decision-making table to argue for minimum-wage workers. Very few people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/there-are-very-few-people-at-the-decision-making-table-to-argue-for/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [Women of the working class, especially wage workers, should not have more than two children at most. The average working man can support no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-sanger/women-of-the-working-class-especially-wage-workers-should-not-have/) [Margaret Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-sanger/) > [The total amount of money that Wall Street handed out in bonuses last year was double the total income of ALL full-time minimum wage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-warren/the-total-amount-of-money-that-wall-street-handed-out-in-bonuses-last/) [Elizabeth Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-warren/) > [Steve Jobs didn't seek solace among minimum wage workers. He sought it from highly educated men and women who understood and shared his focus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gerber/steve-jobs-didn-t-seek-solace-among-minimum-wage-workers-he-sought-it/) [Michael Gerber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gerber/) > [“Wage workers are unconsciously trading their limited lifetime for abundant pieces of paper that are designed to steal their lifetime”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniella-liberati/wage-workers-are-unconsciously-trading-their-limited-lifetime-for/) Daniella Liberati > [Unfortunately, the real minimum wage is always zero, regardless of the laws, and that is the wage that many workers receive in the wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/unfortunately-the-real-minimum-wage-is-always-zero-regardless-of-the/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [“Yet laying the blame on a lack of personal responsibility obscures the fact that there are powerful and ever-changing structural forces at play here.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-edin/yet-laying-the-blame-on-a-lack-of-personal-responsibility-obscures/) [Kathryn Edin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-edin/) > [Walmart isn't your average mom-and-pop operation. It's the largest employer in America. As such, it's the trendsetter for millions of other employers of low-wage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/walmart-isn-t-your-average-mom-and-pop-operation-it-s-the-largest/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [The overtime threshold is to the middle class as the minimum wage is to low-wage workers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-hanauer/the-overtime-threshold-is-to-the-middle-class-as-the-minimum-wage-is/) [Nick Hanauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-hanauer/) > [“The top managers are defensive about these departures; they point to how safe, attractive, and up-to-date the workplace is. Rodney Everts is less defensive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sennett/the-top-managers-are-defensive-about-these-departures-they-point-to/) [Richard Sennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-sennett/) > [Low-wage individuals barely get anything. I think we have to reward work, and I do think that we need to bump up the earned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-coffman/low-wage-individuals-barely-get-anything-i-think-we-have-to-reward/) [Mike Coffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-coffman/) > [Today, there are more Americans working than ever before in the history of our Nation, and the average wage of those workers is higher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-tiahrt/today-there-are-more-americans-working-than-ever-before-in-the/) [Todd Tiahrt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-tiahrt/) ## More by Katrina Onstad > [I talked to a lot of people about what makes a good weekend, and discovered a few common threads: human connection, play, interaction with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-onstad/i-talked-to-a-lot-of-people-about-what-makes-a-good-weekend-and/) [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) > [One study found that volunteering actually makes people feel they have more time, not less. A good weekend usually involves more than just passive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-onstad/one-study-found-that-volunteering-actually-makes-people-feel-they/) [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) > [Sunday blues often hit because the weekend was only about shopping and chores. If you can clear up some of that domestic detritus on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-onstad/sunday-blues-often-hit-because-the-weekend-was-only-about-shopping/) [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) > [I know Stephen King is uncompromising on the idea that writers should practise their craft every single day, and it clearly works for him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-onstad/i-know-stephen-king-is-uncompromising-on-the-idea-that-writers-should/) [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) > [Now we have a gig economy where many people are holding down several jobs at once. The whole concept of a 40-hour week makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-onstad/now-we-have-a-gig-economy-where-many-people-are-holding-down-several/) [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) > [On a societal level, what happens to community when people don't have time to gather or connect, in person, not just over social media?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-onstad/on-a-societal-level-what-happens-to-community-when-people-don-t-have/) [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) > [When we don't get that escape from our work selves, I think we feel its absence on a deep, almost primal level. Leisure is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-onstad/when-we-don-t-get-that-escape-from-our-work-selves-i-think-we-feel/) [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) > [We know that our bodies suffer from overwork and lack of leisure: anxiety, mental-health issues - we're not designed to work more than about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-onstad/we-know-that-our-bodies-suffer-from-overwork-and-lack-of-leisure/) [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) > [There's something about the weekend, even for non-religious people, that feels sacred, so a violation of that sanctified time is almost a betrayal, something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-onstad/there-s-something-about-the-weekend-even-for-non-religious-people/) [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) > [We know that people who work without breaks get tired, introduce errors, get sick and miss out on life. Make no mistake: those staff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-onstad/we-know-that-people-who-work-without-breaks-get-tired-introduce/) [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) > [On the business side, innovative leaders are beginning to wake up to the fact that this non-stop work trend is bad for business: Google…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-onstad/on-the-business-side-innovative-leaders-are-beginning-to-wake-up-to/) [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) > [Many white-collar workers are lucky enough to have creative-class jobs that are satisfying, which is great as long as you're still able to carve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-onstad/many-white-collar-workers-are-lucky-enough-to-have-creative-class/) [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) > [If you're in the mood for a blushing art house romance, you'll fall for it, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-onstad/if-you-re-in-the-mood-for-a-blushing-art-house-romance-you-ll-fall/) [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) > [We can do a bit of blaming: the proliferation of devices means we're always at work, always on call, always available. Physically leaving the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-onstad/we-can-do-a-bit-of-blaming-the-proliferation-of-devices-means-we-re/) [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) > [For me, writing started as pleasure that became professionalized, so my relationship to it is a bit sullied. I'm working it out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katrina-onstad/for-me-writing-started-as-pleasure-that-became-professionalized-so-my/) [Katrina Onstad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) [Explore all 16 Katrina Onstad quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katrina-onstad/) ## More Being busy quotes > [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 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/) > [Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/being-busy-does-not-always-mean-real-work-the-object-of-all-work-is/) [Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/) > [It's possible to be busy but not effective. Everyone's often busy, but few are effective. The effective are, the successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-w-griffin/it-s-possible-to-be-busy-but-not-effective-everyone-s-often-busy-but/) [Kenneth W Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-w-griffin/) > [Don't mistake movement for achievement. It's easy to get faked out by being busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/don-t-mistake-movement-for-achievement-it-s-easy-to-get-faked-out-by/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [The irony is that we are busy doing many things that don't matter and we have no time for things that do. Shouldnt we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-irony-is-that-we-are-busy-doing-many-things-that-don-t-matter-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being busy with work, and as a mum, I'm a big fan of online shopping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsty-gallacher/being-busy-with-work-and-as-a-mum-i-m-a-big-fan-of-online-shopping/) [Kirsty Gallacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsty-gallacher/) > [Pretending that you're very busy talking over phone when you see someone you want to avoid or don't want to talk to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghav-singh/pretending-that-you-re-very-busy-talking-over-phone-when-you-see/) [Raghav Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghav-singh/) > [Life's what happens when you're making other plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/life-s-what-happens-when-you-re-making-other-plans/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [It's like I'm busy being happy and you're busy bringing me down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-like-i-m-busy-being-happy-and-you-re-busy-bringing-me-down/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I keep myself busy with the things to do but every time I pause I still think of you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-keep-myself-busy-with-the-things-to-do-but-every-time-i-pause-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being busy is not an excuse for you to live an unhealthy life. Plan your time wisely. Make time for working out & other activities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-busy-is-not-an-excuse-for-you-to-live-an-unhealthy-life-plan/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is despite the hard work and juggling required to keep the different facets of the frantic life afloat, the "superwoman"has one marvelous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bettina-arndt/the-truth-is-despite-the-hard-work-and-juggling-required-to-keep-the/) Bettina Arndt > [Then get busy and find out how to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/then-get-busy-and-find-out-how-to-do-it/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [The truth is that's always when it's the most fun, when you're able to just be wherever you are, be whatever scene it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-rabe/the-truth-is-that-s-always-when-it-s-the-most-fun-when-you-re-able-to/) [Lily Rabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-rabe/) [Browse all 107 Being busy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-busy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It used to be that wealthy people were the leisure class, and having time off was a status symbol. 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