Business English Vocabulary · Lesson 8

Sound in Control When Discussing Deadlines and Workload

From falling behind schedule to spreading yourself too thin: the phrases professionals use to talk about busy periods, deadlines and workload – clear, precise and easy for everyone to understand.

ARead: when work starts to pile up

Read the text. Pay attention to the phrases in bold – you will need them in exercise B.

Surviving the busy season

Every industry has its busy season. For accountants, it is the end of the tax year; for retailers, it is the weeks before Christmas. As the busy period picks up, the number of emails, meetings and requests grows week by week.

Soon there are more and more pressing tasks – urgent ones that have to be done immediately – so anything less urgent has to be put off until later. Managers set tight deadlines, and staff find themselves working on several tasks in parallel, switching between three or four projects at the same time.

If this continues for too long, people become overwhelmed: there is simply too much to do, and they no longer know where to start. The usual mistake is to keep saying yes to every new request. When you take on too much work, you spread yourself too thin, and every task gets a little less of your attention.

The solution is to prioritise. Decide what really matters, and be willing to drop the tasks that don’t – stop doing them completely, or give them to someone else. And if the whole team is overloaded, it may be time to bring in extra help, either by hiring new people or by borrowing them from another department.

BKey words from the text

Based on the context of the text, choose the phrase that matches each definition. Then complete the example sentence. You may need to change the form of the phrase.

To try to do too many things at once, so that you can’t do any of them well

“If you join every committee, you’ll .”
Urgent; needing to be dealt with immediately

“I’m afraid I have a matter to deal with – can we talk later?”
To employ or use someone from outside your team to help

“We had to an external consultant to finish the project on time.”
(Of business or activity) to increase; to become busier

“Business usually again in September.”
Feeling that you have too much to deal with

“Many new managers feel completely in their first few months.”
To decide the date or time by which something must be finished

“Let’s of Friday for the first draft.”
To stop doing or planning something

“We’ve decided to the monthly newsletter – nobody reads it.”
(Of tasks or projects) happening at the same time

“I’m running three projects at the moment.”
To accept new work or responsibility

“She has far too many clients this year.”
To delay doing something until a later time

“Let’s the budget review until next month.”

CRead: a busy week

A team at a marketing agency is preparing for a client launch. Read their chat. The phrases in bold are for exercise D.

# nordex-campaign

Monday

Jana Account Director · 09:05

Morning, all! How’s everyone’s week looking?

Ben Designer · 09:09

Hectic, to be honest. Back-to-back meetings, a hundred emails, and no time for lunch.

Jana Account Director · 09:12

Same here. Ben, how’s the Nordex campaign going? We’re not falling behind schedule, are we? The launch is on Friday.

Ben Designer · 09:15

We were two days late last week, but we’ve caught up. In fact, we’re slightly ahead of schedule now.

Mia Copywriter · 09:21

I’m a bit up against it this week – five client deadlines by Thursday, and new requests keep coming up every day.

Jana Account Director · 09:24

Understood. How many projects do you have on the go at the moment?

Mia Copywriter · 09:25

Six, all at different stages.

Jana Account Director · 09:28

Wow. OK, the hotel brochure isn’t urgent – could you pass it on to Tom? He has more time this week.

Tom Junior Copywriter · 09:30

No problem, happy to help.

Jana Account Director · 11:02

Ben, did you have a chance to look at the new logo options?

Ben Designer · 11:06

Not yet, sorry. It’s on my list – I just haven’t had a spare minute. I’ll get round to it this afternoon.

Jana Account Director · 11:08

No rush. Mia, the client has asked about the radio script. Can you give me an answer today?

Mia Copywriter · 11:15

I need to check with the producer first. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible – definitely before 5.

Jana Account Director · 11:17

Perfect. Right, I’ll stop interrupting you all and let you get on with your work!

DKey words from the chat

Based on the chat, choose the phrase that matches each definition. Then complete the example sentence. You may need to change the form of the phrase.

I’ll do it when I have time – not immediately

“I haven’t read your report yet, but tomorrow.”
To be later than planned (or, the opposite, earlier than planned)

“Because of the strike, the building work has .”
Very busy and full of activity

“It’s been a week – I’ve barely had time to eat.”
To give a task or some information to another person

“I don’t have time to do this – can I Jakub?”
Having a lot to do and not much time to do it

“Sorry, I’m this week – can we talk on Monday?”
To continue or start doing a task, without being distracted

“Thanks for the update. I’ll let you it.”
I’ll reply or contact you again very soon, with an answer

“Let me check the figures, and .”
(Of tasks or projects) in progress and being worked on at the same time

“She always has several projects .”
(Of a task or a problem) to appear or happen unexpectedly

“I was planning to finish the report today, but a client problem .”

ESay it better

Each sentence below is correct, but it sounds simple. Rewrite it using a phrase from this lesson, then compare your version with the model answer.

“I’m very busy this week, and I don’t have much time.”

Use: up against it

Show model answer
“I’m a bit up against it this week.”
“I’ll do it later, when I have some time.”

Use: get round to

Show model answer
“I’ll get round to it this afternoon.”
“I have too many things to do, and I don’t know where to start.”

Use: overwhelmed

Show model answer
“I’m feeling a little overwhelmed at the moment.”
“You’re trying to do too many things at the same time.”

Use: thin

Show model answer
“I think you’re spreading yourself too thin.”
“We are later than we planned.”

Use: schedule

Show model answer
“I’m afraid we’ve fallen behind schedule.”
“We need some people from outside to help us.”

Use: bring in

Show model answer
“We need to bring in some extra help.”

FKey words in a new context

A Head of Finance is having a one-to-one with a senior analyst about his workload. Complete the conversation with the phrases from the box. You may need to change the form of some of the words.

Word box

hectic
pick up
on the go
overwhelmed
pressing
spread yourself too thin
drop
pass on to
fall behind schedule
bring in
get back to you
get on with

HanaHead of FinanceThanks for making time, Petr. I know things have been lately.

PetrSenior AnalystThey have. Since the year-end work in November, it’s been non-stop. I’ve got seven projects at the moment.

HanaSeven? That’s a lot to manage at the same time.

PetrHonestly, I’m starting to feel a bit . Every morning there are new requests from the CFO, and the bigger projects keep getting pushed to the bottom of the list.

HanaI think you’re . Let’s look at your list together. Which tasks could we completely?

PetrThe monthly cost report. To be honest, nobody reads it any more.

HanaAgreed. And the supplier analysis could be Lena – she has more time this month.

PetrThat would really help. My biggest worry is the audit preparation. If nothing changes, we’ll and miss the auditors’ deadline.

HanaThen let’s a temporary analyst for six weeks. I’ll speak to HR today and tomorrow.

PetrThanks, Hana. That’s a huge relief. I’ll the audit files now.

Use it well

Three things professionals often get wrong when they talk about workload.

Careful with “I’ll get round to it”

It is friendly, but it can suggest the task is not a priority. With a client or a senior colleague, add a time:

I’ll get round to it this afternoon.

It can also be followed by -ing:

I haven’t got round to replying yet.

Behind, ahead of, on schedule

Later than planned: behind schedule. Earlier: ahead of schedule. Exactly as planned: on schedule.

Fall behind describes the change; be behind describes the situation.

We fell behind in May, so we’re still behind schedule now.

Hectic, up against it or overwhelmed?

Hectic describes a time or a place, not a person: a hectic week (not I’m hectic).

A bit up against it – short of time; informal and temporary.

Overwhelmed – it feels like too much; stronger and more emotional.

Glossary

All the phrases from this lesson.

When work piles up

to pick up(of business or activity) to increase; to become busier
pressingurgent; needing to be dealt with immediately
to put offto delay doing something until a later time
to set a deadlineto decide when something must be finished
(tasks) in parallelhappening at the same time
overwhelmedfeeling that you have too much to deal with
to take onto accept new work or responsibility
to spread yourself too thinto try to do too many things at once
to dropto stop doing or planning something
to bring into employ or use someone from outside your team to help

Talking about your workload

hecticvery busy and full of activity
to come up(of a task or a problem) to appear unexpectedly
to fall behind schedule / to be ahead of scheduleto be later / earlier than planned
a bit up against ithaving a lot to do and not much time
(tasks) on the goin progress and being worked on at the same time
to pass something on toto give a task or information to another person
I’ll get round to it.I’ll do it when I have time
I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.I’ll reply very soon, with an answer
to get on withto continue or start doing a task, without being distracted