While many people feel relieved when their workload is lessened, most workers refrain from asking for help in the workplace. Writing for the Harvard Business Review, Rebecca Zucker, a founding partner at leadership development firm Next Step Partners, outlines six strategies to help correct "old, unproductive patterns that prevent you from reaching out for assistance when you really need it."

1. Determine which beliefs or assumptions are standing in your way

Typically, these limiting beliefs are not fully conscious thoughts. "You may have a vague notion of your resistance but not be able to clearly articulate the exact source of it," Zucker writes.

To help determine the source of these beliefs, Zucker recommends asking yourself "What am I afraid will happen if I ask for help?" Then, once you have answered that question, she suggests diving deeper by asking, "And what would be the dire consequence of that?"

Ultimately, "[t]hese fears are emotional—not rational—and can be hard to admit, even to ourselves," Zucker writes.

According to Zucker, you may need to take some time to reflect before answering these two questions. "Journaling or talking with a trusted friend, colleague or trained coach or therapist can help you to excavate the primary internal barrier(s) holding you back," she notes.

2. Consider the source of your limiting beliefs

In addition, reflecting on where and how you developed a reluctance to ask for help can provide some helpful insights.

For example, Sam, a digital marketing consultant, developed a strong sense of self-reliance early in life. While this quality helped him find success in his career, it later became an obstacle that kept him inundated with work.

Sam held a limiting belief that "I have to do everything myself, because no one will be there to help me," as a result of his childhood experiences. "The adults in his life were absent or neglectful," Zucker writes. "Yet, today, as an adult in a different context at work, this assumption no longer applies to the people who work with him."

Identifying the source of your limiting belief can help you view it more objectively. "While it may still feel true, it is in fact, no longer true," she adds.

3. Make small changes

Another step you can take is implementing small behavior changes to gauge the impact on yourself and others. According to Zucker, this can be something as simple as asking "Can I brainstorm with you for five minutes?" or "Would you be willing to take a look at my client proposal and share your feedback with me?"

Zucker also suggests evaluating your own feelings about others who ask you for help. "Do you think they are less smart or competent?" she asks, "Or do you view their request for help as something that's totally normal and something you'd be happy to do (independent of whether you can actually help them)?"

4. Discuss your efforts with others

You should also consider telling others that you are trying to get better at asking for help.

"Sharing this with colleagues can not only enlist their support but make it easier for you to make the ask when the time comes—it can also prime them to be more receptive to these requests, providing positive reinforcement for your help-seeking behavior and further reducing your reluctance to reach out for support," Zucker writes.

5. Provide opportunities for practice, structure, and accountability

You should establish your own "tangible, specific goals or structures" that give you opportunities to practice accountability, Zucker writes. "You could create a daily or weekly goal around how many requests for help you will make."

To hold yourself accountable, you could report your progress to a friend or colleague. However, if you are able to hold yourself accountable, you can also create a customized tracker.

6. Make time for regular reflection

According to Zucker, "[r]eflection is where a lot of the learning happens." She suggests scheduling a regular time to ask yourself reflective questions, including:

• Where was I able to ask for help?
• What made it easier to do this?
• Where didn't I ask for help when I really could have used it?
• What held me back?
• Where do I have the opportunity to ask for help next?
• What might I try differently next time?

"Overcoming your reluctance to asking for help requires ongoing practice, reflection, and integration of new mindsets," Zucker writes. "By unlearning old, unproductive patterns that prevent you from reaching out for assistance when you really need it and relearning new ways of operating, you will feel more supported and less overwhelmed at work." (Zucker, Harvard Business Review, 12/22)