--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Keep busy at something: a busy person…" description: "\"Keep busy at something: a busy person never has time to be unhappy.\" — Robert Louis Stevenson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/robert-louis-stevenson-289_busy_keep-busy-at-something-a-busy-person-nev_749256.jpg" --- # Keep busy at something: a busy person never has time to be… ![“Keep busy at something: a busy person never has time to be unhappy.” quote by Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/robert-louis-stevenson-289_busy_keep-busy-at-something-a-busy-person-nev_749256.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/robert-louis-stevenson-289_busy_keep-busy-at-something-a-busy-person-nev_749256.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/robert-louis-stevenson-289_busy_keep-busy-at-something-a-busy-person-nev_749256.jpg) > “Keep busy at something: a busy person never has time to be unhappy.” [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Staying occupied prevents unhappiness; busyness shields against negative thoughts. **In simple terms:** Busy people avoid unhappiness. Key Takeaway Engage in purposeful activity. Themes productivity well‑being mindset Mood energetic balanced Type practical self‑help When to use this quote - work projects - hobbies - volunteering - learning new skills Key Concepts busyness happiness distraction Questions to Reflect On - What activities bring you joy? - How do you balance busyness and rest? A Different Perspective Over‑busyness may mask deeper issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Busy person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/busy-person/) [Keep busy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keep-busy/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Sadness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sadness/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Unhappy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unhappy/) ## Related quotes > [Keep yourself busy with something or the other because a busy person never has the time to be unhappy.!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tufail-mehraj/keep-yourself-busy-with-something-or-the-other-because-a-busy-person/) [Tufail Mehraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tufail-mehraj/) > [I'm a busy person, my time is precious, so I don't have time for bullshit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-a-busy-person-my-time-is-precious-so-i-don-t-have-time-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't have the luxury of time to be unhappy. I have too much to do. I have too much do accomplish. Who has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/i-don-t-have-the-luxury-of-time-to-be-unhappy-i-have-too-much-to-do-i/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [You don't have enough time to be both unhappy & mediocre. It's not just pointless; it's painful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/you-don-t-have-enough-time-to-be-both-unhappy-mediocre-it-s-not-just/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [ Oh, that was a good time, when I was unhappy. \[Fr., Oh c'etait le bon temps, j'etais bien malheureuse.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-arnould/oh-that-was-a-good-time-when-i-was-unhappy-fr-oh-c-etait-le-bon-temps/) [Sophie Arnould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-arnould/) > [Timing is everything in wrestling and when I was with the WWE it just wasn't the right time. I was unhappy and I decided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-kim/timing-is-everything-in-wrestling-and-when-i-was-with-the-wwe-it-just/) [Gail Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-kim/) > [A lot of the time, I was unhappy as a kid, so I spent it, I guess, in a gray place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-krule/a-lot-of-the-time-i-was-unhappy-as-a-kid-so-i-spent-it-i-guess-in-a/) [King Krule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-krule/) > [We cant change so why waste time being unhappy about things that will always be exactly what they are meant to be...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-cant-change-so-why-waste-time-being-unhappy-about-things-that-will/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I waver—in the dark—between the observation (but is it entirely accurate?) that I’m unhappy only by moments, by jerks and surges, sporadically, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-barthes/i-waver-in-the-dark-between-the-observation-but-is-it-entirely/) [Roland Barthes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-barthes/) > [“Life's too short" is repeated often enough to be a cliche, but this time it's true. You don't have enough time to be both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/life-s-too-short-is-repeated-often-enough-to-be-a-cliche-but-this/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Oh, that was a good time, when I was unhappy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-arnould/oh-that-was-a-good-time-when-i-was-unhappy/) [Sophie Arnould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-arnould/) > [“Person A understand Person B because the time is right for that to happen, not because Person B wants to be understood by Person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/person-a-understand-person-b-because-the-time-is-right-for-that-to/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [When youre really important to someone, that person will always have time for you No excuses, no lies and no broken promises !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron/when-youre-really-important-to-someone-that-person-will-always-have/) [AaRon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron/) > [One person at a time, one company at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-benioff/one-person-at-a-time-one-company-at-a-time/) [Marc Benioff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-benioff/) > [“That's one of the things my dad taught me-that one of the most respectful things you can do for another person is be on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-pelzman/that-s-one-of-the-things-my-dad-taught-me-that-one-of-the-most/) [Adam Pelzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-pelzman/) ## More by Robert Louis Stevenson > [You must suffer me to go my own dark way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/you-must-suffer-me-to-go-my-own-dark-way/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Nobody speaks of a beautifful view for 5 minutes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/nobody-speaks-of-a-beautifful-view-for-5-minutes/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find is an honest friend. He is a fortunate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/we-are-all-travelers-in-the-wilderness-of-this-world-and-the-best/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The little rift between the sexes is astonishingly widened by simply teaching one set of catchwords to the girls and another to the boys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-little-rift-between-the-sexes-is-astonishingly-widened-by-simply/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The problem of education is twofold: first to know, and then to utter. Everyone who lives any semblance of an inner life thinks more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-problem-of-education-is-twofold-first-to-know-and-then-to-utter/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“For thirty years," he said, "I've sailed the seas and seen good and bad, better and worse, fair weather and foul, provisions running out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/for-thirty-years-he-said-i-ve-sailed-the-seas-and-seen-good-and-bad/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [“Mutiny, it was plain, hung over us like a thunder-cloud.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/mutiny-it-was-plain-hung-over-us-like-a-thunder-cloud/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Jealousy is the most radical primeval and naked form of admiration in war paint, so to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/jealousy-is-the-most-radical-primeval-and-naked-form-of-admiration-in/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [It is the property of things seen for the first time, or for the first time after long, like the flowers in spring, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/it-is-the-property-of-things-seen-for-the-first-time-or-for-the-first/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [You have no idea, unless you have tried it, how endlessly long is a summer's day, that you measure out only by hunger, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/you-have-no-idea-unless-you-have-tried-it-how-endlessly-long-is-a/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Do not measure success by today's harvest. Measure success by the seeds you plant today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/do-not-measure-success-by-today-s-harvest-measure-success-by-the/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [To be idle requires a strong sense of personal identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/to-be-idle-requires-a-strong-sense-of-personal-identity/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Saints are sinners who kept on going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/saints-are-sinners-who-kept-on-going/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [Loving God, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/loving-god-help-us-remember-the-birth-of-jesus-that-we-may-share-in/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) > [The friendly cow, all red and white, I love with all my heart; She gives me cream with all her might, To eat with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/the-friendly-cow-all-red-and-white-i-love-with-all-my-heart-she-gives/) [Robert Louis Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) [Explore all 701 Robert Louis Stevenson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/) ## 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 > [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 Browse all 3,372 Busy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Keep busy at something: a busy person never has time to be unhappy.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Louis Stevenson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/keep-busy-at-something-a-busy-person-never-has-time-to-be-unhappy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Busy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/keep-busy-at-something-a-busy-person-never-has-time-to-be-unhappy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/robert-louis-stevenson-289_busy_keep-busy-at-something-a-busy-person-nev_749256.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/robert-louis-stevenson-289_busy_keep-busy-at-something-a-busy-person-nev_749256.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e8e/robert-louis-stevenson-289_busy_keep-busy-at-something-a-busy-person-nev_749256.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Keep busy at something: a busy person never has time to be unhappy.” — Robert Louis Stevenson", "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": "Robert Louis Stevenson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-louis-stevenson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Keep busy at something: a busy...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/keep-busy-at-something-a-busy-person-never-has-time-to-be-unhappy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-louis-stevenson/keep-busy-at-something-a-busy-person-never-has-time-to-be-unhappy/#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 } } ] } ```