Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the amount of tasks you have to do? To the point where you are frustrated? Asking for help doesn’t even begin to cross your mind because you don’t want to seem like a burden to others. Therefore, as time goes by you continue to act like nothing is wrong and have pushed this task to the back of your mind. However, simply delaying the task does not get it done nor does it make it any easier to face when time comes.

We may become overburdened for several reasons; maybe our ideas got the best of us without knowing how to execute them, or we simply can’t say no when others ask us to complete a task. By taking on all this responsibility then turning around and asking for help we feel as though we’ve failed, not only the person who was relying on us but also ourselves.

However we’re humans and we don’t know everything; we also can’t do everything. There’s nothing seemingly wrong by reaching out and asking for help; if you need a boost, here’s how you can approach the situation:

1/ Put your pride aside

Let’s face it. This is the number one reason why we’re too afraid to ask for help. We feel we’re too good and asking for help will make others think less of us, but as I mentioned before we can’t do everything. So swallow your pride and simply ask someone a question. Surprisingly enough people are always willing to help and if they can’t in that moment they’d still help by directing you to someone else.

2/ Don’t go empty-handed

Asking for help doesn’t mean giving your task to someone else, it’s simply gaining assistance to complete said task. Try to at least start the task or have an idea how you’d like to before approaching the person. That way they can see your attempt at it and will know how better to assist you.

3/ Be considerate of the time

Timing is indeed everything and when we’re ready to ask for help we need to ensure its the right time. We’re all busy people with lots on our minds and plates, therefore be considerate when posing the question. Don’t just come right out and ask for help, but rather ask if they have time during lunch or after work to talk.

4/ Watch how you ask for help

You’ve already made a big decision that it’s time for you to speak up and ask for help, there’s no need to speak negatively about yourself or whine about the situation. Also, try your best to ask for help in a positive way.

5/ Help yourself by helping others

When you get used to helping others it becomes easier to ask for help. However, don’t use this as a tit for tat method i.e. only helping person to later seek something in return.

These are all tips I have to try to remember myself, but asking for help shouldn’t be such a difficult thing to do. Do you agree?
What are some other tips do you use or suggest for others when asking for help?