I should have just said “No.”

About one year ago during my senior year of college, I was juggling a full course load, an internship, extracurriculars, and a social life. One afternoon, I got an email from someone asking me to help them edit their book. I knew I’d be in over my head, but the money sounded good and I wanted to prove my worth.

A few days into the project, I was exhausted, stressed, and strapped for time—all during my last semester of college. Why? Because I didn’t have the guts to say, “No.”

It was my first taste of burnout.