How do I tell my manager I have too much work?
Do not say you are too busy. List what you are already responsible for with dates, name the specific clash between two commitments, and ask your manager which one should move. That turns a complaint into a decision only they can make, and a decision is much harder to wave away than a feeling.
Short answer
- 1Write down your current commitments and their deadlines before you speak.
- 2Say yes in principle, then name the one clash the new work creates.
- 3Ask them to choose which commitment moves.
- 4Agree the answer out loud and confirm it in writing afterwards.
“I can take this on, but I have two deadlines on Friday. Which of those would you like me to move?”
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How to prepare
Vagueness is what gets a workload conversation dismissed. You need to be able to say what you already carry without hesitating, which means writing it down first.
- List your current commitments and their deadlines, three or four at most.
- Decide which one you would move if forced to choose, so you are not put on the spot.
- Work out what you actually want: fewer tasks, more time, or more people.
- Ask for ten minutes rather than raising it as they walk past.
What to say
Open with willingness, then the constraint, then the question. Willingness first stops it sounding like a refusal. The question at the end hands the trade-off back rather than leaving it quietly with you.
How they might respond
“Everyone is stretched at the moment.”
Agree, then return to the specific clash. It is not about being busy, it is about which of these two dates moves.
“Can you not just fit it in?”
Say what fitting it in costs, concretely. The report slips to Tuesday, or the review does not get done properly.
“Changes the subject, or says nothing.”
Ask directly for a decision and a date to review it, then follow up by email the same day.
Common mistakes
- Leading with feelings rather than commitments. "I am overwhelmed" invites sympathy, not a decision.
- Saying yes in the room and resenting it later.
- Bringing five problems at once instead of one clear trade-off.
- Apologising so much that the request sounds optional.
Other ways to say it
- “I want to do this properly rather than quickly. To do that, something else needs to shift.”
- “Happy to pick it up from Monday. Before then I have the audit closing. Does that work?”
- “If this is the priority, I will move the review to next week. Confirming that is fine with you.”
Common questions
What if my manager says everyone is busy?
Accept it rather than argue with it, then bring the conversation back to the specific clash. You are not claiming to be busier than anyone else, you are asking which of two dated commitments should move. That question still needs an answer.
Can I refuse work outright?
Usually you can decline extra work that falls outside your role or your hours, but a flat refusal costs more goodwill than a trade-off does. Offering a choice between commitments gets the same result and leaves the relationship intact.
Should I put it in writing?
Have the conversation out loud first, then send a short email confirming what you agreed. Written follow-up is what stops the decision drifting, and it matters if the workload later becomes a formal issue.
What if nothing changes after I raise it?
Raise it a second time with the effect made concrete: what slipped, what was missed, what the risk is. If it still does not change, it becomes a wellbeing or grievance matter rather than a scheduling one.
Will pushing back make me look uncommitted?
It reads as uncommitted when it sounds like a complaint, and as senior when it sounds like prioritisation. Naming the trade-off shows you are thinking about the outcome rather than your own comfort.
When to get proper support
If workload has become a health issue, if you have raised it repeatedly and nothing changes, or if pressure is being applied unevenly to you, it stops being a scheduling conversation. In the UK, Acas runs a free helpline and the HSE Management Standards set out what employers are expected to do about work-related stress. Speak to HR or your union rather than handling it alone.
Sources
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