Like many of you, I’m too aware of how trivial I am in the grand scheme of things. But stick with the same work long enough, and requests for your time can quickly outstrip the time you have to give. Lately, I’ve been thinking about how to offer what I can while protecting my time—without being a jerk about it.
Here’s how I’ve approached it:
- First meetings: With exceptions, I try to avoid in-person first meetings, especially the dreaded “brain-pick” coffee chats that can eat up hours between time and travel. Instead, I suggest meeting at public events I’m already attending or scheduling a call.
- Responding thoughtfully: I make an effort to respond to every email from a genuine person. Canned responses have helped me here, and I’m working to delegate even more.
- Alternative solutions: I try to redirect requests by recommending others for speaking gigs or sharing prewritten responses to common asks.
The goal is to stay accessible but mindful—offering value without losing focus.