Don't Say Yes to Everything

Healthy boundaries protect you while you help others. Setting limits is not selfish — it's essential for sustainable support.

Essential Boundaries to Set

"I can listen for 20 minutes right now, but then I need to focus on my own work/rest."
"I care about you deeply, but I cannot be your therapist. I can, however, help you find one."
"I will be putting my phone away at 10:00 PM to sleep, but I will check my messages as soon as I wake up."
"I can help you with your groceries this week, but I can't help with [other task] right now."
"If I don't reply immediately, it's not because I don't care; it's because I still have all my other obligations"

Burnout happens in life when the stresses of life exceed the emotional rewards of life. Here are some of the symptoms:-

Compassion Fatigue: Feeling numb, indifferent, or "bored" by the person's distress.
Intense Irritability: Finding yourself snapping at the person or feeling deep resentment toward their needs.
Hyper-vigilance: Being unable to relax or enjoy yourself because you are constantly waiting for a crisis text.
Sleep Disturbance: Dreaming about the crisis or being unable to fall asleep due to worry.
Withdrawal: Pulling away from your own support network because you feel "no one understands."