In this episode, Cindy Esliger addresses the cycle of enabling that keeps us picking up the slack for other people. Sometimes we are too nice, too accommodating, unable to say no, or just fixated on work being done perfectly so we do the work of others as well as our own. And when they come to expect it, we keep doing it. We’re being taken advantage of and we’re the ones allowing it. So how do we identify this cycle and break it? 

We set a precedent when we show ourselves to be the person who will always step up and always shoulder the burden. No matter our intentions when we first took on the extra work, because we continue accepting it, we become the person everyone dumps things on. It has a negative impact on our own workload, our sense of accomplishment, our health, and our careers. We need to protect ourselves and Cindy shows us how. 

Cindy shares five strategies for reclaiming our time and energy: 1) Set clear boundaries, 2) Stop jumping in, 3) Say no, 4) Prioritize our work, and 5) Ask for help. We set up an environment where we are overly helpful and coworkers are exploiting that willingness. But they often don’t even realize they are exploiting us. So it’s to everyone’s benefit that we break the cycle. Boundaries are what create healthy workplaces. Cindy advises us on how to set necessary boundaries, say no, and pick and choose when we offer help.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Guide to Guarding Your Time
• Astronomic Audio
• Confidence Collective

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Contact Cindy Esliger 

Career Confidence Coaching: website | instagram | facebook | linkedin | email

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