--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The shortest way to do many things is to…" description: "\"The shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing at once.\" — Samuel Smiles" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a7/samuel-smiles-2037_one-thing_the-shortest-way-to-do-many-things-is-to_1510811.png" --- # The shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing… ![“The shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing at once.” quote by Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a7/samuel-smiles-2037_one-thing_the-shortest-way-to-do-many-things-is-to_1510811.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a7/samuel-smiles-2037_one-thing_the-shortest-way-to-do-many-things-is-to_1510811.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a7/samuel-smiles-2037_one-thing_the-shortest-way-to-do-many-things-is-to_1510811.png) > “The shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing at once.” [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Focusing on one task at a time is the most efficient way to accomplish many goals. **In simple terms:** Do one thing at a time. Key Takeaway Prioritize single tasks for efficiency. Themes focus productivity efficiency discipline Mood motivational practical Type self-help inspirational When to use this quote - workplace - studies - creative projects - daily routines Key Concepts Task management single-tasking Questions to Reflect On - What tasks benefit from single focus? - When is multitasking appropriate? A Different Perspective May ignore benefits of multitasking in some contexts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [The shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mozart/the-shortest-way-to-do-many-things-is-to-do-only-one-thing-at-a-time/) Mozart > [The shortest way to do many things is to do one at a time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-shortest-way-to-do-many-things-is-to-do-one-at-a-time/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Waiting for someone else to make you happy is the shortest way to get sad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/waiting-for-someone-else-to-make-you-happy-is-the-shortest-way-to-get/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“sometimes the longest way around is the shortest way home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holiday/sometimes-the-longest-way-around-is-the-shortest-way-home/) [Ryan Holiday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holiday/) > [K is the shortest way to spell FUCK YOU !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/k-is-the-shortest-way-to-spell-fuck-you/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Every action done by nature is done in the shortest way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/every-action-done-by-nature-is-done-in-the-shortest-way/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [“Longest way round is the shortest way home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce-ulysses/longest-way-round-is-the-shortest-way-home/) James Joyce, Ulysses > [It is in life as it is in ways, the shortest way is commonly the foulest, and surely the fairer way is not much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/it-is-in-life-as-it-is-in-ways-the-shortest-way-is-commonly-the/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The longest way round is the shortest way home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-longest-way-round-is-the-shortest-way-home/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The shortest way to Tara is via Holyhead”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/the-shortest-way-to-tara-is-via-holyhead/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [The shortest way to get anywhere is to have good company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-jackson-brown-jr/the-shortest-way-to-get-anywhere-is-to-have-good-company/) [H. Jackson Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-jackson-brown-jr/) > [Nature operates in the shortest way possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/nature-operates-in-the-shortest-way-possible/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Nature is no spendthrift, but takes the shortest way to her ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/nature-is-no-spendthrift-but-takes-the-shortest-way-to-her-ends/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“I'm a big collector of things." "Am I a thing?" "No, you're my heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-frederick/i-m-a-big-collector-of-things-am-i-a-thing-no-you-re-my-heart/) [Jen Frederick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-frederick/) > [Multitasking? I can't even do two things at once. I can't even do one thing at once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helena-bonham-carter/multitasking-i-can-t-even-do-two-things-at-once-i-can-t-even-do-one/) [Helena Bonham Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helena-bonham-carter/) ## More by Samuel Smiles > [Biographies of great, but especially of good men are most instructive and useful as helps, guides, and incentives to others. Some of the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/biographies-of-great-but-especially-of-good-men-are-most-instructive/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Diligence, above all, is the mother of good luck.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/diligence-above-all-is-the-mother-of-good-luck/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The women of the poorer classes make sacrifices, and run risks, and bear privations, and exercise patience and kindness to a degree that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-women-of-the-poorer-classes-make-sacrifices-and-run-risks-and/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Self-respect is the noblest garment with which a man can clothe himself, the most elevating feeling with which the mind can be inspired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/self-respect-is-the-noblest-garment-with-which-a-man-can-clothe/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The experience gathered from books, though often valuable, is but of the nature of learning; whereas, the experience gained from actual life is of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-experience-gathered-from-books-though-often-valuable-is-but-of/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The apprenticeship of difficulty is one which the greatest of men have had to serve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-apprenticeship-of-difficulty-is-one-which-the-greatest-of-men/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The spirit of self-help is the root of all genuine growth in the individual; and, exhibited in the lives of many, it constitutes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-spirit-of-self-help-is-the-root-of-all-genuine-growth-in-the/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The wise man... if he would live at peace with others, he will bear and forbear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-wise-man-if-he-would-live-at-peace-with-others-he-will-bear-and/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Those who are the most persistent, and work in the true spirit, will invariably be the most successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/those-who-are-the-most-persistent-and-work-in-the-true-spirit-will/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The iron rail proved a magicians' road. It virtually reduced England to a sixth of its size. It brought the country nearer to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-iron-rail-proved-a-magicians-road-it-virtually-reduced-england-to/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [This extraordinary metal, the soul of every manufacture, and the mainspring perhaps of civilised society. Of iron.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/this-extraordinary-metal-the-soul-of-every-manufacture-and-the/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [Man cannot aspire if he looked down; if he rise, he must look up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/man-cannot-aspire-if-he-looked-down-if-he-rise-he-must-look-up/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [The life of a good man is at the same time the most eloquent lesson of virtue and the most severe reproof of vice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-life-of-a-good-man-is-at-the-same-time-the-most-eloquent-lesson/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [It is a grand old name, that of gentleman, and has been recognized as a rank and power in all stages of society. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/it-is-a-grand-old-name-that-of-gentleman-and-has-been-recognized-as-a/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) > [“Many are the lives of men unwritten, which have nevertheless as powerfully influenced civilization and progress as the more fortunate Great whose names are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/many-are-the-lives-of-men-unwritten-which-have-nevertheless-as/) [Samuel Smiles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) [Explore all 189 Samuel Smiles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/) ## More One thing quotes > [The problem posed by indirect speech acts is the problem of how it is possible for the speaker to say one thing and mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-searle/the-problem-posed-by-indirect-speech-acts-is-the-problem-of-how-it-is/) [John Searle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-searle/) > [When you reach that competing point, when you reach that time when the gun is about to go off, everyone's level is pretty much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/apolo-ohno/when-you-reach-that-competing-point-when-you-reach-that-time-when-the/) [Apolo Ohno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/apolo-ohno/) > [One thing that we have learned is that piracy is not a pricing issue. It’s a service issue,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabe-newell/one-thing-that-we-have-learned-is-that-piracy-is-not-a-pricing-issue/) [Gabe Newell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabe-newell/) > [My kids all do love to hunt and fish. When they get together, I think that's what they get together more for than anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/my-kids-all-do-love-to-hunt-and-fish-when-they-get-together-i-think/) [Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/) > [I'll tell you one thing: I will always play the sh\*\* out of my guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-satriani/i-ll-tell-you-one-thing-i-will-always-play-the-sh-out-of-my-guitar/) [Joe Satriani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-satriani/) > [Each man is capable of doing one thing well. If he attempts several, he will fail to achieve distinction in any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/each-man-is-capable-of-doing-one-thing-well-if-he-attempts-several-he/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [All efforts to render politics aesthetic culminate in one thing: war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/all-efforts-to-render-politics-aesthetic-culminate-in-one-thing-war/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [One thing the young Christian should be taught as quickly as possible after his conversion is that Jesus Christ is all he needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/one-thing-the-young-christian-should-be-taught-as-quickly-as-possible/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [The one thing that flies in the face of all human history and experience, is that the government can do a superior job than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/the-one-thing-that-flies-in-the-face-of-all-human-history-and/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [One of the noblest words in our language is "grace," defined as "unearned blessing." We live by grace far more than by anything else.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-elton-trueblood/one-of-the-noblest-words-in-our-language-is-grace-defined-as-unearned/) [D. Elton Trueblood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-elton-trueblood/) > [You can have examples of reasons to hate people, but if you analyze those reasons it's like, Oh, I'm hating that person based on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlyne-yi/you-can-have-examples-of-reasons-to-hate-people-but-if-you-analyze/) [Charlyne Yi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlyne-yi/) > [For war to man, like childbirth to women, is simplifying in its emotions and activities. All the real problems of life can be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-s-buck/for-war-to-man-like-childbirth-to-women-is-simplifying-in-its/) [Pearl S. Buck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-s-buck/) > [In any event, it is one thing to assert, then or now, that the Iraq war was ill-advised. It is quite another to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-silberman/in-any-event-it-is-one-thing-to-assert-then-or-now-that-the-iraq-war/) [Laurence Silberman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-silberman/) > [ I walked all around it \[the Guggenheim Bilbao\] and couldn't find one clear, clean shot. To make things worse, the weather was lousy. Nothing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-polidori/i-walked-all-around-it-the-guggenheim-bilbao-and-couldn-t-find-one/) [Robert Polidori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-polidori/) > [I know one thing: that you can do a lot of things but if you don't educate people into conscious anarchism it gets frittered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-know-one-thing-that-you-can-do-a-lot-of-things-but-if-you-don-t/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) Browse all 5,057 One thing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing at once.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Samuel Smiles" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-shortest-way-to-do-many-things-is-to-do-only-one-thing-at-once/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "One thing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-shortest-way-to-do-many-things-is-to-do-only-one-thing-at-once/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a7/samuel-smiles-2037_one-thing_the-shortest-way-to-do-many-things-is-to_1510811.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a7/samuel-smiles-2037_one-thing_the-shortest-way-to-do-many-things-is-to_1510811.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a7/samuel-smiles-2037_one-thing_the-shortest-way-to-do-many-things-is-to_1510811.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The shortest way to do many things is to do only one thing at once.” — Samuel Smiles", "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": "Samuel Smiles", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-smiles/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The shortest way to do many...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-shortest-way-to-do-many-things-is-to-do-only-one-thing-at-once/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-smiles/the-shortest-way-to-do-many-things-is-to-do-only-one-thing-at-once/#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 } } ] } ```