10 Better Ways to Talk About Your Schedule in English!
Always saying «I’m busy»? While it’s not wrong, native English speakers often use different phrases depending on how busy, overwhelmed, or unavailable they are. If you want to sound more fluent and expressive, try these better ways to talk about your time!
1. «I’m swamped!»
Meaning: I have too much to do.
✅ Sorry, I can’t meet today — I’m swamped with work!
(¡Lo siento, no puedo quedar hoy — estoy hasta arriba de trabajo!)
2. «I’m tied up right now.»
Meaning: I’m currently not available.
✅ Can I call you later? I’m tied up at the moment.
(¿Puedo llamarte más tarde? Ahora mismo estoy ocupado/a.)
3. «I’ve got a lot on my plate.»
Meaning: I have many responsibilities at the moment.
✅ This week is crazy — I’ve got a lot on my plate.
(Esta semana está loca — tengo demasiadas cosas que hacer.)
4. «I’m juggling a few things.»
Meaning: I’m managing several tasks at once.
✅ I’m juggling a few projects right now.
(Estoy con varios proyectos a la vez.)
5. «My schedule is packed.»
Meaning: My calendar is full.
✅ I’d love to meet, but my schedule is packed this week.
(Me encantaría quedar, pero tengo la agenda llena esta semana.)
6. «I can’t take anything else on right now.»
Meaning: I can’t accept more tasks or responsibilities.
✅ I’d love to help, but I can’t take anything else on right now.
(Me encantaría ayudar, pero no puedo aceptar nada más ahora mismo.)
7. «I’m running around like crazy!»
Meaning: I’m doing lots of things quickly or in a rush.
✅ Today I’ve been running around like crazy!
(¡Hoy he estado corriendo de un lado a otro todo el día!)
8. «Things are hectic.»
Meaning: Life is a bit chaotic at the moment.
✅ Things are hectic at work right now.
(En el trabajo está todo muy loco ahora mismo.)
9. «I barely have time to breathe!»
Meaning: I’m extremely busy.
✅ I barely have time to breathe this week!
(¡Esta semana no tengo ni tiempo para respirar!)
10. «I’m snowed under.»
Meaning: I have so much to do, it’s like I’m buried under snow!
✅ I’m snowed under with emails and deadlines.
(Estoy sepultado/a en correos y fechas de entrega.)
Challenge: How Busy Are You Today?
Write a sentence using one of these expressions.
Example: “I’m swamped with meetings this morning!”
Written by Aimee Wilkinson, Principal at The Harrogate International Academy
