121–180 CE · Stoicism
Marcus Aurelius on time
Marcus urged total attention to the task in hand, done as if it were the last thing he would do. Scattered, half-present effort, he believed, is how a life is quietly wasted without anyone deciding to waste it.
Concentrate every minute on doing what is in front of you with precise and genuine seriousness.
Marcus Aurelius — Meditations, Book 2
Try this
- Give the present task your whole attention.
- Stop living in past and future; only the present can be acted on.
Questions
What did Marcus Aurelius say about time?
Marcus urged total attention to the task in hand, done as if it were the last thing he would do. Scattered, half-present effort, he believed, is how a life is quietly wasted without anyone deciding to waste it.
Where did Marcus Aurelius write about time?
In Meditations, Book 2.
Ask Marcus about your time
Put your own situation to Marcus Aurelius and hear the answer in their own words.
Talk to Marcus