h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

There is such a thing as overload in this life.
If you care passionately about every cause (the
dolphins' plight, hunger in 68 underdeveloped
countries, the scandalous behavior of certain
politicians, etc.), you're either going to
collapse from exhaustion or you're likely to
end up not caring about anything (i.e. severe
apathy). Sometimes this latter condition is called
burnout.

If you are burnout/apathy-prone, a coping skill
that you desperately need is selective but purposeful
apathy. Douglas Adams called it a "someone else's
problem field." It starts with a moment of severe
realism: I'm human, I have limits, I have to match
my energy levels with tasks that won't deplete them.
Then, you ruthlessly prune everything that would lead
you to a systems overload.

The phone rings. "Hi, I'm calling on behalf of the
Fund to Save Cruelly Mistreated Circus Elephants."
Your response *should* be something like, "Sorry, but
I can't take on any more charities. Goodbye."

Your boss tells you that the person covering Sunday
afternoons is sick, and he needs someone to substitute.
Sure, you'd be making an extra $60.00, but you'd also
have to get a week's worth of laundry done in the morning,
and visit your relatives in the evening, and this would
leave you exhausted. "Sorry, but I would be too exhausted
to get much done for you on Monday..."