How to respond when someone has too much work
In a 1:1, someone on your team says they have too much on their plate.
What they might say
- “It's fine, just a lot on my plate right now.”
- “Everything seems to be urgent.”
- “I'm working late just to keep up.”
What's usually behind it
They may need you to make a priority call, not offer time-management tips. They might also worry that asking for less work will make them look unreliable.
What you can say
- What could we take off your plate this week?
- Let's check what's essential for the goals we've set.
- I'll help reset expectations on anything we move.
Try not to
- Giving productivity advice before asking about the workload.
- Calling everything a priority.
How Earshot helps in the moment
Earshot listens live, shows one short card with a suggested line to explore their workload, and nudges you on pace.
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