Do You Suffer From the Do-it-all Disease?

June 16, 2008

Since women hate to disappoint, we tend to take on more than we can handle, leaving us at times resentful and exhausted. Glamour Magazine recently coined it the "Do-it-all disease", and if you suffer from it, you're in luck. Pamela Redmond Satran has come up with 14 perfectly acceptable ways to say no without being abrupt or harsh. Check them out below:

I'm going to have to pass
I'd love to, but I just don't have the time
I made a resolution to start saying no more often
I don't want to say yes and then let you down
I'd love to, but my boyfriend/kids/boss would freak out if I took on anything else
Not right now
Not this year

If you want to read the rest, just read more

You caught me at a terrible moment
I can't say yes
I don't want to say no, but I have to
I'm just not comfortable with that
It's just not right for me
Ask another time
Please cross me off your list

I'm guessing that a lot of you suffer from this "Do-it-all disease", so do any of Pamela's suggestions sound doable, or are you still of the mindset that you really can do it all?

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15 Comments

ninjastarlett 4 years 47 weeks

I've gotten a lot better at saying "no" in the past year and it's really helped productivity.

emalove 4 years 48 weeks

If it's a family member or a close friend who needs a favor, I'd probably just suck it up and do it because I love them. But otherwise, I really don't have a problem saying no if something doesn't work for me or fit into my schedule.

Nyrina Windu 4 years 48 weeks

I know I need to start saying no. I need more time for myself. I rarely get a few weeks off, like I have now. For the past week I've been saying NO to almost everybody. When work called me last week to ask if I could volunteer my free time, I've said NO to them too. And I must say that it feels good :)

JaimeLeah526 4 years 48 weeks

Luckily I don't have too many commitments keeping me from doing what I want to do. When someone asks me to do something I do it, but it's rare that anyone asks.

tomatoshirt 4 years 48 weeks

I think my bf is the one who has OCD and I LOVE IT!

jillerin457 4 years 48 weeks

I don't really have this disease, either. But I'm a little like bluebell - I just take things upon myself sometimes. I'd rather bust my butt than hang out in a messy house! It's the same at school/work - I volunteer for projects because I enjoy being the one to do them, and make sure they're done well.

lms 4 years 48 weeks

I do not have this disease at all. It is really easy for me to say no.

bluebellknoll 4 years 48 weeks

I suffer from the do-it-all disease. But it's not because I can't say "NO" if someone ASKS. It's because I take on all of the household chores (I have a running "to do" list in my head) and my new hubby hasn't figured out that he should help. Instead he surfs the web and reads the paper while I'm doing laundry, mowing the yard, doing dishes, vaccuuming, taking out the garbage, etc...

Schaianne 4 years 48 weeks

I can say no ... sometimes ... but then I have serious guilt!!! :(

dcfashionista 4 years 48 weeks

I have this disease and I am stuck without time for myself. I babysit twice a week. Saturday I drove 30 minutes from home to pick up my niece and nephew to take them to my father's house which totally killed my gas but I do need to say no at times. I quit my part time job and it feels like I have little to no time to rest.

omilawd 4 years 48 weeks

I'm slowly learning how to say no. It seems like one of the easiest things to do, but it's pretty hard, because it feels like you're letting someone down or disappointing them.

Shopaholichunny 4 years 48 weeks

I agree ladies. I'm on the same boat! I need to learn to put myself first sometimes...

MartiniLush 4 years 48 weeks

I have the same problem, Kristinh....especially when it comes to stuff for my son's school, I am especially bad - nearly any committee, event, etc...I am wearing myself out for it. I don't want to sound mean or bitchy, so I don't say no...I'm gonna try out some of the ways to say "no" listed here, and see if that gets me some free time! LOL!

ladychaos 4 years 48 weeks

I definitely suffer from do-it-all disease. I'm involved with so many projects and things, I don't even know how I have time to eat, sleep and date (lol). So now that we know how to say no, can you give us advice on how to balance everything without feeling overwhelmed?

Kristinh1012 4 years 48 weeks

I seriously have NO idea how to say no to people. Even in my own house. I have a tendency to take on other peoples household jobs out of some kind of unexplained and absolutely unnecessary guilt or something. I find myself constantly saying "Oh don't worry about it, I'll do that" And then later I'm like why am I doing this to myself. But still I don't stop. I think I have a touch of OCD

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