The more business a man has to do

The more business a man has to do, the more he is able to accomplish; for he learns to economize his time.

— Judge Hale

Meaning of the quote

The quote “The more business a man has to do, the more he is able to accomplish; for he learns to economize his time” is attributed to Judge Matthew Hale, an English barrister, judge, and legal scholar who lived from 1609 to 1676.

The quote suggests that having a lot of work or tasks to do can actually increase a person’s productivity because they are forced to learn how to manage their time effectively. When someone has a lot of work to do, they must prioritize their tasks, streamline their processes, and focus on what is most important. By doing so, they are able to accomplish more in less time.

This idea is often referred to as Parkinson’s Law, which states that work expands to fill the time available for its completion. In other words, when we have a lot of time to complete a task, we tend to procrastinate and take longer to complete it. However, when we have a deadline or a lot of work to do, we are forced to focus and become more efficient with our time.

In summary, Judge Hale’s quote suggests that having a lot of work to do can actually be beneficial because it forces us to become better at managing our time and ultimately helps us accomplish more.