04/09/2025
Why People-Pleasing Can Lead to Burnout (and Even CFS/ME)
It often begins with the best of intentions.
You step into a new role or project, eager to demonstrate your value. When your manager asks, “Can you handle this as well?” you say yes.
At first, it feels rewarding. You’re recognised. You’re contributing. You’re proving yourself.
But gradually, one “yes” leads to another… and another.
You start working late to meet deadlines.
You sacrifice date nights and family dinners because “work can’t wait.”
You cancel the gym membership, convincing yourself you’ll return once things calm down. (They rarely do.)
Over time, the pattern becomes clear: your personal needs are being eroded, piece by piece, to satisfy constant demands.
This cycle is one of the fastest routes to burnout and in some cases, it can contribute to chronic fatigue conditions such as CFS/ME.
When your body and mind are continually pushed beyond capacity, they eventually stop giving you the option of saying yes. They say no for you through exhaustion, brain fog, and physical collapse.
People-pleasing may create approval in the short term.
But the cost is steep: your clarity, your vitality, and in the long run, your health.
The truth is, saying no isn’t selfish. It’s self-preservation.
And it’s the only way you can show up fully for your work, your family, and most importantly, yourself.
