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Hi friend,

The internet is nostalgic for 2016.

Simpler times.
Better vibes.
Less chaos.

But work?

Work was still work.

In 2016, the unspoken rule was simple:

Be available.

Answer fast.
Stay late.
Say yes.
Handle it.
Don’t make it awkward.

Availability equaled value.

Here’s the twist.

That rule didn’t disappear, it just moved to our pockets.

Slack.
Email.
Your phone pinging with work notifications at 9:42pm.

Here’s what changed.

It’s more invasive now.

Which means being automatically available costs more.

But it’s not 2016, even if we miss the playlists.

We don’t have to keep proving our value that way.

In 2016 the rule was simple:

If you care, you’re reachable.
If you’re committed, you stay late.

This week, interrupt that rule once.

When you feel the reflex to reply immediately, pause and think:

“Would 2016-me feel pressure to answer right now?”

If the answer is yes…

Do the opposite.

That’s how you break the 2016 rule.

We were conditioned to believe
Availability = value.

Each interruption exposes it for what it is:
just a habit.

Psychologists call this cognitive reappraisal, updating the meaning of a moment instead of reacting on autopilot.

Not:
“This is urgent. I have to respond.”

But:
“This feels urgent. I get to decide.”

Same ping.
Different power.

That shift builds psychological flexibility, or the ability to feel the pull to be available without letting it make the decision.

The pressure may still show up.

You decide what happens next.

That’s how conditioning turns into choice.

We made you a simple visual reminder. Download it and use it to interrupt the availability reflex.

👉 Click HERE to download.
(It will sneak into your downloads folder.)

We just launched our Instagram channel. It would be great to see you there!

What’s one moment this week where you want to experiment with being less available?

We read and reply to every note.