If the work in front of you exceeds the time or support available, make that mismatch visible. You may need a priority decision, more resources, clearer instructions or help with the impact on your health. A breathing exercise or a better task app cannot decide those things for your workplace.
These original examples from the tonen team focus on preparing a conversation. They do not diagnose burnout, identify cortisol levels or promise that a few minutes of self-help will restore productivity.
Identify the decision you need
Write down the task, its deadline and the practical constraint, using only as much detail as you need. You do not have to track every minute or build a business case before saying that you are struggling.
| Task | Constraint to explain | Decision to request |
|---|---|---|
| Report and new urgent request | Both are due today; you have capacity for one | Which takes priority, and what will move? |
| Work blocked by missing information | You cannot finish until an approval arrives | Who can obtain the approval or change the plan? |
| Instructions keep changing verbally | You cannot tell which version is current | Can the final decision be confirmed in writing? |
Opening: “The current workload is not manageable for me. Could we review the deadlines and what needs to change?”
You can describe distress and practical impact together. Feelings are not an inferior form of information, and you do not have to appear calm or use corporate language to raise a concern.
Ask for a priority, not permission to work beyond capacity
For competing deadlines: “I can complete the report or the new request today. Which should I prioritise, and when should the other be done?”
For a new request: “Before I agree, what existing work should this replace?”
For an unclear instruction: “What result do you need, and who should approve it?”
Do not add an offer to work late, skip breaks or accept another deadline unless you intend to make that offer. You may also need to say that neither deadline is feasible with the resources available. The difficult-conversation guide has more ways to organise a request.
Discuss work conditions as well as personal coping
Repeated overload may need changes to work organisation, not just another individual routine. HSE's guidance for workers on stress explains employers' responsibilities for assessing and managing work-related stress risks, alongside routes for asking for support.
You might ask about workload, interruptions, staffing, instructions or the setting. Do not assume every colleague can delegate work, delete tasks or move meetings without agreement.
Example: “Frequent interruptions are preventing me from finishing this task. Could we agree a block of time without new requests, and decide who handles anything urgent?”
If a disability-related change may help, Acas guidance on neurodiversity adjustments explains individual needs and reviewing support. An outcome does not depend only on how well you phrase the request. Ask about the relevant process rather than treating these examples as a decision about your legal circumstances.
Agree actions and a review point
Keep a record of what was agreed if useful. Name the action, who is responsible and when you will check whether it is helping.
Example: “We agreed that the report is the priority and the new request moves to Friday. Please confirm who will tell the requester. Can we review the workload again on Thursday?”
If nothing has changed, say so with the relevant detail. A written summary records an agreement; it does not make an unmanageable workload sustainable or guarantee that the plan will be followed. The mental health at work guide includes questions about support and information sharing.
Use another support route when needed
If your manager is part of the difficulty or you do not feel able to speak with them, check your organisation's routes. Depending on what is available, that may include another manager, HR, a worker or union representative, occupational health or an employee support service. HSE describes alternative contacts in its worker guidance.
Before sharing health details, ask who will receive them and how they will be used. You can also speak with a healthcare professional about the impact. The NHS stress guide describes getting help when stress is difficult to cope with. An article cannot determine whether a symptom is stress, burnout or another condition.
Keep breaks and tools in their proper role
You might choose water, quiet or another comfort measure. Our grounding guide offers optional activities; stop if an exercise is uncomfortable. There is no universal 50/10 work pattern or five-minute reset that resolves the cause of overload.
If you consider apps for ADHD-related tasks or CBT-related apps, check the particular activity and who provides it. Planning software, wording support and qualified care are different offers.
We make tonen, an iPhone app with scripts and Helpers that suggest wording to review. It can supply a starting sentence for a workload request, not prevent burnout or change workplace demands. Helpers use online processing; read tonen's privacy policy before entering private workplace or health information.