---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I keep a diary when I have time to. I…"
description: "\"I keep a diary when I have time to. I always know that I'm either having a great time or I'm very busy when there are three weeks of nothing in my diar..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/192/olivia-newton-john-5653_busy_i-keep-a-diary-when-i-have-time-to-i-alw_1240063.jpg"
---

#  I keep a diary when I have time to. I always know that I'm…

![“I keep a diary when I have time to. I always know that I'm either having a great time or I'm very busy when there are three weeks of nothing in my diary. But I like to look back because in ten years to the day I can know where I was and what I was doing, and that's a nice feeling.” quote by Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/192/olivia-newton-john-5653_busy_i-keep-a-diary-when-i-have-time-to-i-alw_1240063.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/192/olivia-newton-john-5653_busy_i-keep-a-diary-when-i-have-time-to-i-alw_1240063.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/192/olivia-newton-john-5653_busy_i-keep-a-diary-when-i-have-time-to-i-alw_1240063.jpg)

> “I keep a diary when I have time to. I always know that I'm either having a great time or I'm very busy when there are three weeks of nothing in my diary. But I like to look back because in ten years to the day I can know where I was and what I was doing, and that's a nice feeling.”

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Regularly recording daily activities creates a personal timeline that highlights productivity patterns and personal growth.

**In simple terms:** Diary tracks life.

Key Takeaway

Keep a journal to see progress.

Themes

self‑reflection productivity memory

Mood

reflective content optimistic

Type

personal motivational

When to use this quote

- personal planning
- career tracking
- mental health monitoring
- creative projects
- family history

Key Concepts

chronology habit formation self‑awareness

Questions to Reflect On

- What moments would you capture?
- How does reviewing past entries affect motivation?

A Different Perspective

Journaling may become burdensome if over‑documented.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy/) [Diaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diaries/) [Diary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diary/) [Diary Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diary-like-3470995/) [Diary Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diary-time-1254769/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Great times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-times/) [Having A Great Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/having-a-great-time/) [I can](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-can/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [Nice feeling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice-feeling/) [Ten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ten/) [Ten years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ten-years/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-busy-264560/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [Weeks Diary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weeks-diary-3868279/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/)

## Related quotes

> [Billy Pilgrim had a theory about diaries. Women were more likely than men to think that their lives had sufficient meaning to require recording…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/billy-pilgrim-had-a-theory-about-diaries-women-were-more-likely-than/)

[Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/)

> [Writing a diary every evening before going to bed is a good habit. We can record in the diary how much time we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/writing-a-diary-every-evening-before-going-to-bed-is-a-good-habit-we/)

[Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/)

> [“What sort of diary should I like mine to be? Something loose-knit and yet not slovenly, so elastic that it will embrace anything, solemn,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-sort-of-diary-should-i-like-mine-to-be-something-loose-knit-and/)

[Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/)

> [Keeping a diary is like closing your bedroom door and refusing to come out until dinnertime: it is a declaration of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-flanagan/keeping-a-diary-is-like-closing-your-bedroom-door-and-refusing-to/)

[Caitlin Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-flanagan/)

> [I don't have to keep a diary. It seems like for the last 40 years my life has been lived in the press, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-don-t-have-to-keep-a-diary-it-seems-like-for-the-last-40-years-my/)

[Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/)

> [If he can't make time for you it's because he's too busy making time for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-he-can-t-make-time-for-you-it-s-because-he-s-too-busy-making-time/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I hear what many of you are saying: We don’t have the time, we are busy. Well Nobody Has Time, Everyone Is Busy. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-zafra/i-hear-what-many-of-you-are-saying-we-don-t-have-the-time-we-are-busy/)

[Jessica Zafra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-zafra/)

> [Take a little time out of your busy day to give encouragement to someone who's lost their way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-ross/take-a-little-time-out-of-your-busy-day-to-give-encouragement-to/)

[Diana Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-ross/)

> [Most men I do not meet at all, for they seem not to have time; they are busy about their beans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/most-men-i-do-not-meet-at-all-for-they-seem-not-to-have-time-they-are/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [After all that, you would think daughter would want to spend time with me, but she's busy. I get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-siegel/after-all-that-you-would-think-daughter-would-want-to-spend-time-with/)

[Kate Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-siegel/)

> [It's going to be over soon, so I don't really have time to get busy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-andress/it-s-going-to-be-over-soon-so-i-don-t-really-have-time-to-get-busy/)

[Ursula Andress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-andress/)

> [Respect the people who find time for you in their busy schedules. But love those who never look at their schedules when you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luphielia/respect-the-people-who-find-time-for-you-in-their-busy-schedules-but/)

[Luphielia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luphielia/)

> [Most of the time you're too busy to think about it. But every now and then you say, 'I work at 'Saturday Night Live,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/most-of-the-time-you-re-too-busy-to-think-about-it-but-every-now-and/)

[Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/)

> [My parents had no interest in spending a lot of time with me. They were busy doing what they were doing, but they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-bowie/my-parents-had-no-interest-in-spending-a-lot-of-time-with-me-they/)

[Angela Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-bowie/)

> [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/)

[Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/)

## More by Olivia Newton-John

> [When you have a cavity in your tooth and you let it get worse, eventually you have to get a root canal. If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/when-you-have-a-cavity-in-your-tooth-and-you-let-it-get-worse/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [I always suggest that when you're going through cancer to find something in your day that makes you feel centered and that makes you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/i-always-suggest-that-when-you-re-going-through-cancer-to-find/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [Singing at the Opening Ceremonies of the Sydney Olympics in 2000 was amazing and, probably the highlight of this decade is the opening of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/singing-at-the-opening-ceremonies-of-the-sydney-olympics-in-2000-was/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [I'm a very light sleeper. I get about six hours a night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/i-m-a-very-light-sleeper-i-get-about-six-hours-a-night/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [It feels really good to give back. I'm opening the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness Centre in Australia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/it-feels-really-good-to-give-back-i-m-opening-the-olivia-newton-john/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [Let me hear your body talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/let-me-hear-your-body-talk/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [As for highlights, of course "Grease" changed my life and I will always be grateful for that experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/as-for-highlights-of-course-grease-changed-my-life-and-i-will-always/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [I am not embarrassed to say that when I was at my worst I took anti-depressants because I think people need to hear that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/i-am-not-embarrassed-to-say-that-when-i-was-at-my-worst-i-took-anti/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [I simply have a marvellous life, a very lucky life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/i-simply-have-a-marvellous-life-a-very-lucky-life/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [Fight each round take it on the chin. And never never never ever give in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/fight-each-round-take-it-on-the-chin-and-never-never-never-ever-give/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [I love clothes. I don't know a woman who doesn't. But generally women are intrigued with fashion. Designers are almost making fun of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/i-love-clothes-i-don-t-know-a-woman-who-doesn-t-but-generally-women/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [As for the industry, it has certainly changed. I think with all of these television shows and YouTube and the internet, you have so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/as-for-the-industry-it-has-certainly-changed-i-think-with-all-of/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [We women should remember that we are much more than just breasts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/we-women-should-remember-that-we-are-much-more-than-just-breasts/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [Nature is the most beautiful thing we have. It's better than art because it's from the creator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/nature-is-the-most-beautiful-thing-we-have-it-s-better-than-art/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

> [John Farrar, my dear friend and songwriter/producer of most of my hits (he wrote "You're The One That I Want" and "Hopelessly Devoted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/john-farrar-my-dear-friend-and-songwriter-producer-of-most-of-my-hits/)

[Olivia Newton-John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

[Explore all 100 Olivia Newton-John quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/)

## More Busy quotes

> [Success doesn't have a downside for me. I'm busy, but I've always been busy whatever job I've had. My very first job working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-derbyshire/success-doesn-t-have-a-downside-for-me-i-m-busy-but-i-ve-always-been/)

[Victoria Derbyshire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-derbyshire/)

> [I remember till 997th film, but after that I got so busy with multiple projects; I'm not sure which one released as my 1,000th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brahmanandam/i-remember-till-997th-film-but-after-that-i-got-so-busy-with-multiple/)

[Brahmanandam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brahmanandam/)

> [I love to work in football, so for me it's not work. I'm not here first in the morning and last in the evening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-farke/i-love-to-work-in-football-so-for-me-it-s-not-work-i-m-not-here-first/)

[Daniel Farke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-farke/)

> [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/)

[Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/)

> [I am on sabbatical as of right now, been too busy to think of about my OWN needs as of late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-diamond/i-am-on-sabbatical-as-of-right-now-been-too-busy-to-think-of-about-my/)

[Jim Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-diamond/)

> [“I don't envy "busy." Busy means having a schedule, not living life. What I really covet is leisure and peace of mind. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-lynn-hope/i-don-t-envy-busy-busy-means-having-a-schedule-not-living-life-what-i/)

[Donna Lynn Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-lynn-hope/)

> [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 do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/)

[Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/)

> [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/)

[James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/)

> [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/)

> [I like acting too much and it's too, I'm just too busy doing that and I'm too hungry for it, to get behind the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-weisz/i-like-acting-too-much-and-it-s-too-i-m-just-too-busy-doing-that-and/)

[Rachel Weisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-weisz/)

> [The hollow horn plays wasted words, proves to warn that he not busy being born is busy dying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-hollow-horn-plays-wasted-words-proves-to-warn-that-he-not-busy/)

[Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/)

> [Films are tricky because for years you're getting told you're about to make it and you're about to be busy for four or six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mills/films-are-tricky-because-for-years-you-re-getting-told-you-re-about/)

[Mike Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mills/)

> [Never be too busy for the people you love. Never allow pursuits or possessions to become bigger priorities than your relationships. Love is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-willis/never-be-too-busy-for-the-people-you-love-never-allow-pursuits-or/)

[Dave Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-willis/)

> [“Get busy live'n, or get busy die'n”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-shawshank-redemption/get-busy-live-n-or-get-busy-die-n/)

[The Shawshank Redemption](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-shawshank-redemption/)

[Browse all 3,372 Busy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I keep a diary when I have time to. I always know that I'm either having a great time or I'm very busy when there are three weeks of nothing in my diary. But I like to look back because in ten years to the day I can know where I was and what I was doing, and that's a nice feeling.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Olivia Newton-John"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/i-keep-a-diary-when-i-have-time-to-i-always-know-that-i-m-either/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Busy"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/i-keep-a-diary-when-i-have-time-to-i-always-know-that-i-m-either/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/192/olivia-newton-john-5653_busy_i-keep-a-diary-when-i-have-time-to-i-alw_1240063.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/192/olivia-newton-john-5653_busy_i-keep-a-diary-when-i-have-time-to-i-alw_1240063.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/192/olivia-newton-john-5653_busy_i-keep-a-diary-when-i-have-time-to-i-alw_1240063.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I keep a diary when I have time to. I always know that I'm either having a great time or I'm very busy when…” — Olivia Newton-John",
                "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": "Olivia Newton-John",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-newton-john/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I keep a diary when I...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/i-keep-a-diary-when-i-have-time-to-i-always-know-that-i-m-either/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-newton-john/i-keep-a-diary-when-i-have-time-to-i-always-know-that-i-m-either/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
