Everyone knows people pleasers—those individuals who do their best to please others, even at their own expense. You might consider yourself a people pleaser. At work, this could mean taking on heavier workloads, agreeing to unreasonable requests or working during vacations.

People pleasers generally don’t see anything wrong with their behavior. It’s honorable to want to help others and keep the office running smoothly, right? Not exactly. Your people-pleasing tendencies could end up damaging your professional life, says Kaila Kea-Lewis, a career coach. If you focus on constantly pleasing other people, you may begin to feel stressed, burned out and resentful.

Wondering if you exhibit any people-pleasing traits? Read on. We share Kea-Lewis’ examples of common characteristics plus ways to overcome them.

People-pleasing trait: A lack of boundaries. People pleasers have trouble saying “no.” They don’t want to make anyone else upset by creating boundaries. However, without boundaries, others will continue to take advantage of you.
What to do: You can put yourself first instead of everyone else by valuing your own time. Kea-Lewis says this could mean only responding to work emails and calls during business hours and using your PTO as often as you need to.

People-pleasing trait: Accepting everything. People pleasers generally say “yes” to every request and project that comes their way. They worry that others will dislike them or exclude them in the workplace if they turn down a request, says Kea-Lewis. This is a problem because it leaves you with little time to yourself and what matters to you.
What to do: Kea-Lewis recommends listing your professional goals and declining anything that doesn’t help you achieve them.

People-pleasing trait: Telling people what they want to hear. You can be agreeable to a fault. If you go along with things just to avoid conflict, it sends the wrong idea about you are. It’s always best to speak truthfully, even if that means having a difficult conversation.
What to do: When you feel like saying something that will keep you on someone’s good side, try to come up with a solution-focused response. Remember that you don’t have to go along to get along, Kea-Lewis notes.

People-pleasing trait: Striving for perfection. Overachieving professionals are natural people pleasers. They want to go above and beyond and get everything right. But, pursuing perfection can lead to career dissatisfaction and unnecessary stress, notes Kea-Lewis. When everything has to be perfect, you may miss out on little things that bring you joy.
What to do: You can still strive for excellence but be realistic with yourself. Avoid taking on too much and overextending yourself. And always define your self-worth based on who you are instead of what you can achieve, Kea-Lewis adds.

It can be difficult to break people-pleasing habits, but it’s worth the effort. By establishing boundaries, feeling comfortable saying “no” and being honest, even when it’s hard, you can begin to prioritize yourself. You’ll be happier at work and a more respected colleague and leader because of it.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: Kaila Kea-Lewis is a career coach and freelance writer who contributes to outlets such as Entrepreneur, Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter.