Dare to talk about money?! 敢談錢，才能讓別人真正看見你的時間價值

My personal time isn’t “free.” It holds value, not just because it’s mine, but because it’s what allows me to recharge and stay at my best.我的私人時間不是「空閒時間」。它有價值，不只是因為它屬於我，更因為它讓我有時間充電，保持最佳狀態。

The Art of Negotiating Fair Compensation 如何談判公平的報酬

It took me 17 years to truly understand something that might seem obvious: talking about money is essential. At first, I avoided these conversations because they felt awkward, like discussing money would somehow cheapen my work. I thought great results would speak for themselves, and recognition would naturally follow.

說真的，我花了17年才明白一件看似很簡單的道理：談錢真的很重要。一開始，我總是覺得談錢讓人尷尬，好像這會降低工作的價值。我認為，只要把工作做好，認可就會自然而然地到來。

But here’s the problem: avoiding money conversations leads to undervaluing yourself. Over time, I realized that this mindset often resulted in sacrificing my personal time and not properly compensating the effort I put into my work.

但問題來了：不談錢會讓你低估自己。隨著時間過去，我發現這樣的想法常常讓我犧牲自己的私人時間，甚至低估了我付出的努力。

Why Talking About Money Is So Important 為什麼談錢如此重要

Talking about money isn’t just about the numbers—it’s about ensuring that your time and effort are recognized. Your time is valuable, and when you avoid the conversation, you risk being taken for granted. The sooner you realize that discussing compensation is a vital part of setting professional boundaries, the better equipped you’ll be to advocate for yourself.

談錢不僅僅是關於數字——它還是關於確保你的時間和努力被重視。你的時間很寶貴，當你避免談論報酬時，你可能會被低估。越早意識到討論報酬是設立專業界線的重要一環，你就越能有效為自己爭取應得的價值。

Setting Boundaries & Talking About Money 設立界線與談錢

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is how crucial it is to set boundaries, especially when it comes to your time. If you want people to respect your time and effort, you need to communicate its value—and that includes talking about money.

其中一個最重要的教訓，就是學會設立界線，特別是在管理時間時。如果你希望別人尊重你的時間和努力，就必須讓他們知道它的價值——而這其中也包括談錢。

For me, it meant being clear about one thing: my personal time isn’t “free.” It holds value, not just because it’s mine, but because it’s what allows me to recharge and stay at my best. Anything that valuable deserves to be exchanged in a fair and respectful way.

對我來說，最核心的一點是：我的私人時間不是「空閒時間」。它有價值，不只是因為它屬於我，更因為它讓我有時間充電，保持最佳狀態。而珍貴的東西，就應該用公平且尊重的方式來交換。

Making Tough Choices 做出艱難的選擇

Imagine being asked to teach a class late on a weekend evening. Agreeing to this means giving up time with family or a chance to recharge for the week ahead. It might even feel like unpaid overtime.

想像一下，有人請你在週末晚上上課。答應這樣的安排，意味著你可能得放棄和家人相處的時間，或失去為新的一周充電的機會。這甚至會讓人覺得像是「無償加班」。

In moments like these, you have to make a choice: Will you accept the arrangement, or will you set boundaries? If you choose to say yes, it’s fair to ask for higher compensation. These hours aren’t the same as regular working hours—they demand more from you, and it’s only right to reflect that in the value of the arrangement.

在這種情況下，你需要做出選擇：接受這樣的安排，還是設立界線？如果你決定答應，那麼要求更高的報酬是合理的。因為這樣的時間和普通工作時間不一樣——它需要你付出更多，所以理應反映在這次合作的價值上。

Respect Your Time 尊重自己的時間

What I’ve learned is this: it’s not just about the money—it’s about making sure your time and effort are valued. Money is simply a tool to communicate that value. When you approach these conversations with confidence and clarity, you’re not just negotiating; you’re showing others that your time matters. And when you respect your time, others will, too.

我的體會是，這不只是關於金錢，而是用金錢作為一種方式，讓別人知道你如何看待自己的時間和努力。當你能以自信且清楚的方式進行這些對話時，這不僅僅是談判，更是在告訴別人：你的時間有價值。而當你尊重自己的時間時，別人也會尊重它。

Speak with Clarity: Sample Phrases 清楚表達：實用句子範例

When discussing your time and its value, the key is to stay professional, concise, and confident. Here are a few phrases you can adapt to your own style:

1. Setting the stage for negotiation

I’d like to discuss how we can fairly compensate for this additional time commitment, given its impact on my personal schedule. 我希望我們能討論一個合理的報酬方案，畢竟這會影響到我的私人時間安排。

2. Highlighting the value of your time

This timeframe is important to me, so I’d like to ensure it’s reflected in the agreement. 這段時間對我來說很重要，所以我希望這能在我們的協議中有所體現。

3. Acknowledging unconventional hours

Since this request falls outside typical working hours, I’d like to explore a compensation plan that reflects the extra effort involved. 因為這個需求是在正常工作時間之外，我希望我們能討論一個能反映額外付出的報酬方案。」

4. Reinforcing respect for time

To ensure both sides feel this arrangement is mutually beneficial, let’s align on a structure that values the time invested. 為了確保這次合作對雙方都是互利的，我們可以一起討論一個能充分反映投入時間價值的方案。

5. Politely declining without undervaluing yourself

While I appreciate the opportunity, I’m unable to commit to this timeframe without a structure that fully reflects its value. 雖然我很感謝這個機會，但如果這段時間的價值沒有被充分反映，我可能無法答應。

Call-to-Action

To my LinkedIn network: Have you faced similar situations where you had to stand up for the value of your time? How did you handle it? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments below!

給我的 LinkedIn 夥伴們：你是否也遇過類似的情況，需要為自己的時間價值據理力爭？你是怎麼處理的？歡迎在評論區分享你的故事！