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About this quote

What does it mean?
A large portion of life is spent inactive or dormant, akin to death.
In plain terms
Half our day is shadowed and sleep takes a third, leaving little time for life.
What can you take from it?
Most of our time is spent not actively living.

Where it applies

  • time management
  • existential reflection
  • health

Putting it to work

  • track time use
  • reduce unnecessary sleep
  • prioritize activities

Questions to consider

  • How much of your life feels truly awake?
  • What do you value most in your day?

Another view

Sleep is restorative, not wasted time.

More from Sir Thomas Browne

  1. Aristotle whilst he labours to refute the Idea's of Plato, falls upon one himself: for his summum bonum, is a Chimera, and there is no such thing as his Felici…

    Permalink to quote #32
  2. Happy are they that go to bed with grave music.

    Permalink to quote #34
  3. We term sleep a death, and yet it is waking that kills us, and destroys those spirits that are the house of life.

    Permalink to quote #31

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