Dear yes man,
I know you will read this because it says it right there, yes man; you can’t say no. You’re reliable, you’re kind-hearted, and you put everyone else before you, sound about right? Yes. I get it; it is hard to say no to someone who is asking for your assistance. You want to make other people happy and you want people to know that you are there for them if they need you. However, you take on way too much at one time. I know just as well as you do that saying “I work well under pressure” is not always true. As a matter of fact, I’m assuming you stress yourself out with the amount of projects that you take on and you often find yourself worrying about disappointing those that are counting on you. So, my fellow yes man, take a break. You do not have to do everything that is asked of you. As horrible as this may sound, you are allowed to say no. *gasp* People come to you because they trust you; they know that you’re a reliable person and they know that you genuinely care about them. They also understand that you are human and you have responsibilities of your own. They will not be disappointed in you if you cannot help them every single time that they need you.
On the other side of things, you are allowed to ask for help. I know you are independent and it is hard to admit that you cannot do it all, especially when you are trying to appear invincible. You are not. Like I said before you are human and because you are human you cannot do everything on your own. You continuously help out your friends, family, and anyone else that asks you to do something -- therefore, they will be willing to return the favor. You will not burden anyone by asking them for help, just as they are not a burden to you. I promise you, they know when you are struggling, on the brink of a mental breakdown, wondering why you agreed to take on yet another project. They want to help you, so for the sake of your own mental health, let them!
Lastly, learn when enough is enough. It is perfectly okay to help everyone. However, know your limits. If you know that you have 800 other things to do that week, you probably shouldn’t add anything else in to your workload. Also, don’t immediately take on more projects and tasks as soon as you finish the other 800. Give yourself a break, even if it is only a day. You deserve it.
Respectfully,
A fellow yes man