--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Work often gets in the way of more…" description: "\"“Work often gets in the way of more important things, like writing.”\" — Paul West" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d29/paul-west-85345_important-things_work-often-gets-in-the-way-of-more-impor_1467041.jpg" --- # Work often gets in the way of more important things, like… ![“Work often gets in the way of more important things, like writing.” quote by Paul West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d29/paul-west-85345_important-things_work-often-gets-in-the-way-of-more-impor_1467041.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d29/paul-west-85345_important-things_work-often-gets-in-the-way-of-more-impor_1467041.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d29/paul-west-85345_important-things_work-often-gets-in-the-way-of-more-impor_1467041.jpg) > ““Work often gets in the way of more important things, like writing.”” [Paul West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-west/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Work often interferes with more important pursuits such as writing, suggesting a need to prioritize creative work over routine tasks. **In simple terms:** Work blocks writing. Key Takeaway Schedule writing before other duties. Themes time management creative discipline prioritization Mood determined reflective Type productivity creative When to use this quote - daily routine - freelance contracts - creative blocks - deadline pressure Key Concepts focus productivity artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - What can you delegate to protect writing time? - How does this shift affect your overall productivity? A Different Perspective Not all work is equally important; some tasks are essential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Important things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Like Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-writing/) [Things Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-like/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [Work Gets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-gets-664499/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [There are things that you can't do - like writing letters to a part of yourself. To your feet or hair. Or heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/there-are-things-that-you-can-t-do-like-writing-letters-to-a-part-of/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [I do a little of several things like writing, teaching and political organizing, but none of them as well as I would like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/i-do-a-little-of-several-things-like-writing-teaching-and-political/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [It feels great when your work gets appreciated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neha-kakkar/it-feels-great-when-your-work-gets-appreciated/) [Neha Kakkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neha-kakkar/) > [I like to work. It gets boring sitting around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyd-charisse/i-like-to-work-it-gets-boring-sitting-around/) [Cyd Charisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyd-charisse/) > [I've got a great life. It's a shame the work gets in the way of the golf, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/len-goodman/i-ve-got-a-great-life-it-s-a-shame-the-work-gets-in-the-way-of-the/) [Len Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/len-goodman/) > [When you’ve lost all your play, guess what love becomes. Work. Work that gets harder every hour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/when-you-ve-lost-all-your-play-guess-what-love-becomes-work-work-that/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [Work - get paid; don't work - don't get paid. Everybody is on commission, .. Try not coming to work for six weeks. Work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/work-get-paid-don-t-work-don-t-get-paid-everybody-is-on-commission/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [“I water my driveway, and I drive a hard bargain to work (it gets great gas mileage).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-water-my-driveway-and-i-drive-a-hard-bargain-to-work-it-gets-great/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [The less I say the more my work gets done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/the-less-i-say-the-more-my-work-gets-done/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [Serious work gets done ... in congenial surroundings, which tend to make you laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mcdiarmid/serious-work-gets-done-in-congenial-surroundings-which-tend-to-make/) [Ian McDiarmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mcdiarmid/) > [My mantra is simple: work gets you work, and good work gets you good work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yami-gautam/my-mantra-is-simple-work-gets-you-work-and-good-work-gets-you-good/) [Yami Gautam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yami-gautam/) > [The work gets more political as I become older and more aware, I guess, of power and justice issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-da-rimini/the-work-gets-more-political-as-i-become-older-and-more-aware-i-guess/) [Francesca Da Rimini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-da-rimini/) > [Just because you make it to the top, the work gets more difficult to stay there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scottie-scheffler/just-because-you-make-it-to-the-top-the-work-gets-more-difficult-to/) [Scottie Scheffler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scottie-scheffler/) > [Being pissed off all the time may be useful for work but it gets old. It wears on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-pissed-off-all-the-time-may-be-useful-for-work-but-it-gets-old/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My work gets misunderstood all the time but I actually love that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peaches/my-work-gets-misunderstood-all-the-time-but-i-actually-love-that/) [Peaches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peaches/) ## More by Paul West > [“Doomed to practice it day after day, even to the extent of dipping his nib in orange juice to make the words invisible, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-west/doomed-to-practice-it-day-after-day-even-to-the-extent-of-dipping-his/) [Paul West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-west/) > [“When the new heart given to us through Jesus Christ in the New Covenant becomes corrupt, it is because of a stronghold that has been established…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-west/when-the-new-heart-given-to-us-through-jesus-christ-in-the-new/) [Paul West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-west/) [Explore all 3 Paul West quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-west/) ## More Important things quotes > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [There are more important things to focus on in life than how you look.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arden-cho/there-are-more-important-things-to-focus-on-in-life-than-how-you-look/) [Arden Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arden-cho/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) > [In a world without Chevron, very little would change except perhaps the most important things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gorsuch/in-a-world-without-chevron-very-little-would-change-except-perhaps/) [Neil Gorsuch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gorsuch/) > [You know, right now, the most important thing in my life is to make sure you understand that, first of all, I thank God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-ray-vaughan/you-know-right-now-the-most-important-thing-in-my-life-is-to-make/) [Stevie Ray Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-ray-vaughan/) > [Statistics are like miniskirts: They give you good ideas but hide the important things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ebbe-skovdahl/statistics-are-like-miniskirts-they-give-you-good-ideas-but-hide-the/) [Ebbe Skovdahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ebbe-skovdahl/) > [The most important thing about being a father is being able to forgive yourself. If you don't forgive yourself, you're not going to forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evander-holyfield/the-most-important-thing-about-being-a-father-is-being-able-to/) [Evander Holyfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evander-holyfield/) > [The next thing you do today will be the most important thing on your agenda, because, after all, you're doing it next. Well, perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-next-thing-you-do-today-will-be-the-most-important-thing-on-your/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [I will work day and night to avoid failure, but if I can't, I'll pick myself up the next day. The most important thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-will-work-day-and-night-to-avoid-failure-but-if-i-can-t-i-ll-pick/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Political struggle is the most important thing any of us can do as a citizen in a democracy; and that means the old joining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/political-struggle-is-the-most-important-thing-any-of-us-can-do-as-a/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [ It is so hard and long before a student comes to a realization that these \[first\] few large simple spots in right relations are… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-webster-hawthorne/it-is-so-hard-and-long-before-a-student-comes-to-a-realization-that/) [Charles Webster Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-webster-hawthorne/) > [I think the most important thing is to stay hopeful, to believe wonderful things are possible and do your best. Basically, to not give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irena-a-hoffman/i-think-the-most-important-thing-is-to-stay-hopeful-to-believe/) [Irena A. Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irena-a-hoffman/) > [“There are five important things for living a successful and fulfilling life: never stop dreaming, never stop believing, never give up, never stop trying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-bennett/there-are-five-important-things-for-living-a-successful-and/) [Roy Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-bennett/) > [The most important thing to remember is: to protect your quarterback - ME!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-reynolds/the-most-important-thing-to-remember-is-to-protect-your-quarterback-me/) [Burt Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-reynolds/) > [Since death is certain and the time of death is uncertain, what is the most important thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/since-death-is-certain-and-the-time-of-death-is-uncertain-what-is-the/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) [Browse all 2,586 Important things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-things/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Work often gets in the way of more important things, like writing.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul West" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-west/work-often-gets-in-the-way-of-more-important-things-like-writing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Important things" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-west/work-often-gets-in-the-way-of-more-important-things-like-writing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d29/paul-west-85345_important-things_work-often-gets-in-the-way-of-more-impor_1467041.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d29/paul-west-85345_important-things_work-often-gets-in-the-way-of-more-impor_1467041.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d29/paul-west-85345_important-things_work-often-gets-in-the-way-of-more-impor_1467041.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Work often gets in the way of more important things, like writing.” — Paul West", "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": "Paul West", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-west/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Work often gets in the way...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-west/work-often-gets-in-the-way-of-more-important-things-like-writing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-west/work-often-gets-in-the-way-of-more-important-things-like-writing/#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 } } ] } ```