Overwhelmed at work: what to do
Updated
Stop taking on new work for a day, write down everything on your plate, and pick the three things that truly matter this week. Then bring the full list to your boss and ask them to choose what moves or drops: overwhelm is usually a workload problem, not a personal failing. If it has lasted for months, read the signs of burnout at work.
What to do
- Do a brain dump. Write every task, request and loose end on one page, big or small. Getting it out of your head lowers the noise and shows you the real size of the pile.
- Mark three priorities for the week. Pick the tasks with a real deadline or a real cost if they slip; everything else waits. More on how to prioritize when everything is important.
- Ask your boss to rank, not to rescue. Book 15 minutes and bring the list with rough hours next to each item. Ask which ones come first: your boss sees the trade-off and makes the call.
- Pause new yeses. For the next two weeks, answer new requests with: Let me check my plate and get back to you today. It buys time without a flat no.
- Protect one focus block a day. Put 90 minutes in your calendar, close chat and email, and work on priority number one. One finished task beats five started ones.
- Reset at the end of each day. Spend five minutes crossing off, moving tasks, and writing tomorrow's first task. You stop carrying the list home in your head.
What to say
Send this to your boss to book a short meeting:
Hi [name], I have more on my plate right now than I can do well, and I want to make sure the right things get done first. I've listed everything I'm working on with rough time estimates. Can we take 15 minutes this week so you can help me rank it and decide what can wait or move to someone else?
Avoid
- Working nights and weekends to clear the pile, which teaches everyone that the pile is fine.
- Telling your boss only that you're overwhelmed, without the list and a proposal.
- Switching between tasks all day instead of finishing one before starting the next.
Questions
Is feeling overwhelmed at work normal?
Short peaks around a launch or a deadline are common. If it lasts for weeks with no end in sight, it is a workload problem to raise, not a weakness to hide. In a Gallup study of nearly 7,500 full-time employees, unmanageable workload was one of the five main causes of burnout.
What if my boss says everything is a priority?
Ask for an order instead of a cut: If I can only finish two of these by Friday, which two? A ranking is easier to give, and it protects you when something slips.
Should I take a day off?
A day off helps you rest, but the pile will be waiting when you return. Take it if you need it, and pair it with the conversation about workload so you come back to a shorter list.