Photo by Josiah Weaver on Unsplash

I’ve seen many people devote themselves completely to work. They stay late, constantly check messages, and let their jobs define their lives. Even outside working hours, their conversations and relationships often revolve around what they do for a living.

Unfortunately, society tends to praise this behavior. We call such people “always available” or say things like “You can always count on him — no matter if it’s 5 a.m. or 11 p.m., he’ll reply right away.”

But the truth is, we don’t live to work — we work to live. Work is a means to build a life, not the other way around. We work to earn enough to live well, to spend time with loved ones, to rest, to explore, and to grow beyond our professions.

So next time you find yourself answering messages late at night, pause for a moment and ask yourself: Am I living to work, or working to live?