Eating lunch Quote by Norton Juster
““You see,” he continued, beginning to feel better, “once there was no time at all, and people found it very inconvenient. They never knew whether they were eating lunch or dinner, and they were always missing trains. So time was invented to help them keep track of the day and get places when they should. When they began to count all the time that was available, what with 60 seconds in a minute and 60 minutes in an hour and 24 hours in a day and 365 days in a year, it seemed as if there was much more than could ever be used. ‘If there’s so much of it, it couldn’t be very valuable,’ was the general opinion, and it soon fell into disrepute. People wasted it and even gave it away. Then we were given the job of seeing that no one wasted time again,” he said, sitting up proudly.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, 1961
Time was created as a tool, but when quantified it seemed abundant, leading people to undervalue and waste it; the narrative warns against treating time as limitless.
In simple terms: Time was invented, but we waste it when we think it’s endless.
Key Takeaway
Treat time as scarce and protect it.
Themes
time
value
productivity
perception
scarcity
Mood
reflective
thoughtful
cautionary
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal planning
- project management
- daily routines
- goal setting
- work-life balance
Key Concepts
economics
psychology
philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you measure the true worth of your time?
- What habits can prevent time waste?
A Different Perspective
If you view time as infinite, you may still overcommit and burn out.
