Working in Lagos, I quickly learned that there was an unspoken rule: you didn’t leave the office until the boss did. Even if you had finished all your tasks, you had to sit there, waiting, just in case they needed something. It was a power play, plain and simple. And for a while, I played along. I stayed late, hoping that maybe it would earn me some favor or at least keep me out of trouble.

But one day, I just couldn’t do it anymore. It was 5 PM, the end of my official workday, and I was tired. Tired of sitting around, tired of the silent judgment from my colleagues, and tired of letting someone else dictate my time. So, I did something I had never done before—I packed up my things and left.

The next day, the boss called me into her office. She wasn’t pleased, to say the least. But I stood my ground. I explained that my contract stated 8 AM to 5 PM, and that’s what I was going to stick to. She didn’t like it, but I didn’t care. My mental health and my time were more important than her need for control.

From that day on, I left at 5 PM every day, and eventually, others started to follow. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it. I learned that sometimes, you have to stand up for yourself, even if it means going against the grain. My mental well-being is worth more than staying late just to appease someone else.