--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was generally busy from 7 A.M. until…" description: "\"I was generally busy from 7 A.M. until midnight. I never had time to sit and think. As I worked, physical and mental fatigue set in and I was unable to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a31/nelson-mandela-248_ability_i-was-generally-busy-from-7-a-m-until-mi_303655.jpg" --- # I was generally busy from 7 A.M. until midnight. I never… ![“I was generally busy from 7 A.M. until midnight. I never had time to sit and think. As I worked, physical and mental fatigue set in and I was unable to operate to the maximum of my intellectual ability. But in a single cell in prison, I had time to think. I had a clear view of my past and present…” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a31/nelson-mandela-248_ability_i-was-generally-busy-from-7-a-m-until-mi_303655.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a31/nelson-mandela-248_ability_i-was-generally-busy-from-7-a-m-until-mi_303655.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a31/nelson-mandela-248_ability_i-was-generally-busy-from-7-a-m-until-mi_303655.jpg) > “I was generally busy from 7 A.M. until midnight. I never had time to sit and think. As I worked, physical and mental fatigue set in and I was unable to operate to the maximum of my intellectual ability. But in a single cell in prison, I had time to think. I had a clear view of my past and present, and I found that my past left much to be desired, both in regard to my relations with other humans and in developing personal worth.” [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Intense work left no time for contemplation, but confinement forced introspection and self‑assessment. **In simple terms:** Busy life blocked thinking; prison allowed reflection. Key Takeaway Balance work with regular reflection. Themes productivity introspection self‑assessment Mood thoughtful inspirational Type biographical motivational When to use this quote - career - personal development - mental health - prison experience Key Concepts psychology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How can you schedule thinking time in a busy day? - What insights have you gained from past reflections? A Different Perspective Reflection alone may not lead to change without action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Intellectual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intellectual/) [Mental Fatigue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-fatigue/) [Midnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/midnight/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Past and present](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past-and-present/) [Personal worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-worth/) [Prison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison/) [Prison time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prison-time/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time to think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-to-think/) ## Related quotes > [You should rejoice that you're in prison. Here you have time to think about your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-should-rejoice-that-you-re-in-prison-here-you-have-time-to-think/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If I could slam the door, I would. If I could walk to another room, I would. The best I can do is turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-forrester/if-i-could-slam-the-door-i-would-if-i-could-walk-to-another-room-i/) [T.J. Forrester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-forrester/) > [“If a prisoner paints his cell in the prison, does it mean that he likes the prison? Why does he do so? It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/if-a-prisoner-paints-his-cell-in-the-prison-does-it-mean-that-he/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“Even paradise could become a prison if one had enough time to take notice of the walls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-rhodes/even-paradise-could-become-a-prison-if-one-had-enough-time-to-take/) [Morgan Rhodes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-rhodes/) > [I have done prison time for 13 years without any conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/asif-ali-zardari/i-have-done-prison-time-for-13-years-without-any-conviction/) [Asif Ali Zardari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/asif-ali-zardari/) > [Here are white men poised to run big marijuana businesses, dreaming of cashing in big—big money, big businesses selling weed—after 40 years of impoverished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-le/here-are-white-men-poised-to-run-big-marijuana-businesses-dreaming-of/) [Michel'le](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-le/) > [All during that prison time I really lived by prayer. Be in prayer always, we're told, and back then I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diet-eman/all-during-that-prison-time-i-really-lived-by-prayer-be-in-prayer/) [Diet Eman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diet-eman/) > [It's natural for humans to suppress urges, for when our desires are left unchecked they lead to broken relationships, prison time, and forest fires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-sedaris/it-s-natural-for-humans-to-suppress-urges-for-when-our-desires-are/) [Amy Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-sedaris/) > [If bad taste were a felony, every writer I know would've done prison time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-bochco/if-bad-taste-were-a-felony-every-writer-i-know-would-ve-done-prison/) [Steven Bochco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-bochco/) > [I had the assassins of the former president of Egypt, the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood was with me in prison, the leaders of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maajid-nawaz/i-had-the-assassins-of-the-former-president-of-egypt-the-leader-of/) [Maajid Nawaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maajid-nawaz/) > [We who live in prison, and in whose lives there is no event but sorrow, have to measure time by throbs of pain, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/we-who-live-in-prison-and-in-whose-lives-there-is-no-event-but-sorrow/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Acting, really, is a lot of mental fatigue, emotional fatigue, concentration... it's mentally draining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/acting-really-is-a-lot-of-mental-fatigue-emotional-fatigue/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [We try not to talk much about mental fatigue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-bowden/we-try-not-to-talk-much-about-mental-fatigue/) Tommy Bowden > [“For example, rosemary can help clear your head, making you less vulnerable to distractions. Peppermint stimulates the brain and improves concentration. Citrus and cinnamon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damon-zahariades/for-example-rosemary-can-help-clear-your-head-making-you-less/) [Damon Zahariades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damon-zahariades/) > [“...and it's that time of the day when the fatigue sets in. No, not the physical type of fatigue that goes with a stretching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/binyamin-gulzar/and-it-s-that-time-of-the-day-when-the-fatigue-sets-in-no-not-the/) [BinYamin Gulzar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/binyamin-gulzar/) ## More by Nelson Mandela > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/some-of-the-mission-groups-that-have-been-responsible-for-our/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-believed-that-i-would-become-a-counsellor-to-the-thembu-king/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/what-he-means-by-this-is-that-instead-of-saying-you-ll-try-you-need/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-need-to-exert-ourselves-that-much-more-and-break-out-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/prison-is-a-still-point-in-a-turning-world-and-it-is-very-easy-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-fundamental-concern-for-others-in-our-individual-and-community/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I am aware of what the position is in the United States of America. If somebody gives to charity, then he gets a tax…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-am-aware-of-what-the-position-is-in-the-united-states-of-america-if/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It is our duty to give support to the brother leader ... especially in regards to the sanctions which are not hitting just him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-is-our-duty-to-give-support-to-the-brother-leader-especially-in/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [It was during those long and lonely years that my hunger for the freedom of our own people became a hunger for the freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/it-was-during-those-long-and-lonely-years-that-my-hunger-for-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) [Explore all 809 Nelson Mandela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I was generally busy from 7 A.M. until midnight. 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