Working full time can take up a lot of time and energy, so you should spread it out sparingly. At least that’s what one man said.

Aaron Knightley, an entrepreneur and podcaster, told full-time employees to be “last in and first out.” You often hear the opposite, but Knightley went deep into his philosophy.

One entrepreneur essentially told full-time employees to do as little work as possible for the most money.

Knightley’s message caught the attention of many when a short clip from his podcast garnered around 18 million views.

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Many agreed with him, and some even criticized him. However, he had three reasons why he believes so strongly in this mentality:

1. It’s all about time.
2. You are just a number.
3. You should work on your personal development.

It’s all about time.

Time is a very precious thing – once it’s gone, you can never get it back. Unfortunately, most companies have no respect for the time their employees spend outside of the office. Why waste your own time if you’re not valued for it?

Companies will take advantage of you as much as possible, and while it may be tempting to try to prove yourself by showing up early and staying as long as possible, it’s just not worth it.

Instead of being rewarded for doing more, companies try to exploit do-gooders so that they might as well work exactly the number of hours required and no more.

Floor image | Shutterstock

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You are just a number.

When you work in a company, you’re more of a cog in the machine. You might as well be replaced by someone else. There’s really no recognition for the work you do while someone else is doing it.

Knightley stressed: “You are an expense on an expense list and at the end of the year, depending on the profit and loss of the company, a decision is made as to whether or not you are retained.”

He is certainly not wrong. The list of companies that have already carried out or are planning mass layoffs is long and seems to be growing. Add to that the fact that these layoffs are usually not based on performance. This is a clear sign that good employees are being let go for economic reasons or, worse, because their jobs can now be automated.

You should work on your personal development.

Each of us has unlimited potential and that is where we should focus our time and energy. There is so much you can do if you work on yourself, your goals and your skills. Don’t let your job hold you back.

Knightley himself worked on his own business, putting all his energy into this passion and thus escaping his 9-to-5 job.

Even if the projects you love aren’t lucrative enough for you to quit your job, they can be a great way to improve your current skills and make you more attractive in your current position or at a new company.

To implement the “last in, first out” strategy, you need to set boundaries.

If you know you’re working in an environment where your effort isn’t valued, don’t take on more than you can handle. That means you need to be able to stand up for yourself. If you’re asked to stay late, say “no,” and if you’re asked to work overtime, say “no.”

Setting boundaries is critical to your success both personally and professionally.

You are not being rude or not doing your job; you are simply fulfilling your contractual agreement with your boss to work X hours for X salary. You are not doing less than what was asked of you, and you should definitely not do more.

Focus on improving yourself and let your 9-5 job pay the bills. Who knows? Maybe you’ll start your own business and escape the rat race.

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Sahlah Syeda is a writer for YourTango who covers entertainment, news and human interest topics.