Miss Manners: How can I avoid being overwhelmed by family’s relatively small problems?

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I am a typical middle child in that I’m always trying to help everyone in the family and keep them happy. I take on most of my parents’ care because my sisters have families at home, and I’m single with grown children. I work 60 hours a week, I’m the safe venting place for my children, and my significant other wants time, too, obviously.

This is too busy on its own, but I also have a serious mental illness (bipolar). I manage it well and am very high-functioning. But how do I tell people they’re overwhelming me when each person’s need is relatively small on its own?

GENTLE READER: Handle the smaller requests by protecting your time, rather than rebuffing them individually. So, for example, you may not wish to answer nonemergency calls or texts after dinner.

Miss Manne