Get Your Buzz Back

By Rebecca Ascher-Walsh

Revive your emotional energy with something you enjoy

The Energy Showdown: To Do or Not to Do

Pick up his underwear or ask him to? That's as personal for you as boxers versus briefs is for him. "I pick up my husband's underwear because he does so much around the house. It's my way of thanking him," Dr. Sherman says. "But if you already feel like his mother, then the only time you should pick them up is to smack him with them."

Go out with your needy friend or stay home? Write yourself a hall pass. "Tell your friend that you want to be able to give her your best self, and you just can't do that today," Dr. Sherman says. Learning to draw loving boundaries is essential to protecting your emotional energy.

Accept a last-minute task from your boss or try to escape it? If you're in good stead at work, continue the boundary-setting you started with your needy friend. It's important to be able to say, "Sorry, I just can't this time." Besides, if this new chore is the straw that just might break your camel's back, you won't do as good a job as your colleague anyway.

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