There’s a myth floating out there in the business world that in order to be successful you have to be constantly engaged with your audience online.

You must be posting to social all the time and responding to every comment (or at least “liking” them).

You must respond to every email you receive within 24 hours or same day even.

You must take every call, meeting, and opportunity that comes your way.

But it’s just a myth.

Sure you can do that if you like, but it won’t lead to success. Not in the true sense of the word.

You might “be everywhere” but you’ll be a shadow of yourself.

Elton Trueblood, the late author and chaplain at both Harvard and Stanford Universities put it best:

“A person who is always available is not worth enough when they are available.”

Elton Trueblood, Author

If you want to be worth something to your customers, clients, or the world at large, then you can’t be available 24/7.

To truly make an impact and become what some would call a high performer, you must learn to set boundaries and limits on your time and availability.

This is the great paradox.

Here are 5 suggestions for how to set strategic boundaries in your life that will make you more valuable and effective in your work.