There’s a subtle but dangerous lie in modern work culture: that being constantly available is the same thing as being valuable. It’s not.
Your time belongs to you, not them. It always has. A salary doesn’t mean ownership—it means an agreement. You’ve agreed to exchange a defined portion of your life and skill for compensation. But the moment that exchange spills over into your evenings, weekends, and private thoughts, the cost becomes much higher than what you’re being paid.
Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” If you find yourself answering emails at 10 p.m. or checking Slack during dinner, you’re quietly spending the most precious currency you’ll ever have—your attention.
Here’s the paradox: the more accessible you become, the less authoritative you appear. Constant access erodes your presence. It makes you reactive instead of reflective, scattered instead of strategic. Leaders aren’t defined by how quickly they respond, but by how intentionally they engage.
Guard your time like you would your bank account or identity. Decline meetings that don’t need you.
Silence notifications during dinner. Take back your mornings.
Boundaries aren’t arrogance, but they are stewardship. Protecting your time isn’t selfish; it’s how you preserve the clarity and authority required to lead well.