Workplace Multiplier by Tola Akinsulire

November 20, 2025

Welcome to the Workplace Multiplier newsletter. Published Monday to Friday, equipping you to achieve your professional goals faster and without burnout or overwhelm.

You just spent 90 minutes in a meeting that didn't need you

Howdy ,

Let's talk about your calendar for a second.

Look at last week. Count the meetings. Now ask yourself: How many of those actually required your presence?

Not the ones where you were cc'd and felt obligated to show up. Not the ones where you "might need to weigh in." Not the ones where people expect you because they think you should “show face”.

The ones where the meeting literally could not happen without you in the room.

I'm guessing it's less than 40% of what's on your calendar.

Here's the uncomfortable truth: Your calendar isn't a reflection of your priorities. It's a reflection of other people's access to you.

Every meeting you accept is a vote for someone else's agenda over your own strategic thinking time. Every "just 30 minutes" request is trading your highest-value work for someone else's convenience.

And the cost? You're not just losing time. You're losing the mental space to think three moves ahead. To see patterns your team can't see yet. To make decisions from clarity instead of fatigue.

Most professionals think a full calendar means they're important. Actually, it means they've lost control of their most valuable resource.

Your calendar should protect your energy, not deplete it.

This isn't about being unavailable. It's about being available for what actually matters. The decisions only you can make. The conversations that require your specific insight. The strategic work that compounds over time.

Everything else? Your team can handle it. Or it shouldn't be happening at all.

Tomorrow: The tax you're paying that you don't even see.

Keep winning at work and in life.

Tola Akinsulire

Your Strategic Workplace Mentor

P.S. Calendar audit: Block 30 minutes this week. Review every recurring meeting. Ask: "What happens if I don't attend?" If the answer is "nothing," you have your answer.

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