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The easiest way to fall into this trap is by immediately saying “Yes” to every request for you to do something.
We’re so keen to please other people and be liked by them, that we don’t want to upset them by saying, “No”. So, we take on way too much, get overwhelmed, and disappoint them (and ourselves) even more, by failing to deliver on what we’d promised.
We need to teach ourselves that it’s better to say, “I can’t let you know right now. I’ll have to get back to you.” Then, write down their request and set a date to get back to them with your answer.
This “space cushion” gives you time to assess your situation. If you really are too busy to be able to take on the project, then, when you call the person back, be honest with them and say, “I’m really sorry, but I’m just too busy to do this.”
If they try to talk you into it, tell them that it’s better for them to find someone else to do it now, than for them to be left in the lurch at the last minute because you couldn’t finish it after all.
Of course, this is yet another example of something that’s easier in theory than in practice. So it will take a LOT of practice to become a habit! (I’m still working on that.)
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