Hi everyone. Welcome to the Speak English Now podcast. Today we're going to talk about something very common, being too busy. Maybe you know this feeling. You wake up in the morning, and before you even get out of bed, your mind

starts working. I have to answer emails. I have to work. I have to clean the house.

I have to call someone. I have to study English.

I have to exercise.

And yes, I also have to relax.

But wait a minute.

If you have to relax, maybe something's wrong.

Many people today are extremely busy.

And sometimes being busy almost becomes a competition.

One person says, I'm busy.

Another person says, I'm very busy. And a third person says, I'm busy. Another person says, I'm very busy. And a third person says, I'm so busy, I don't even have time to be tired.

But here's the problem. Being busy is not always the same as being productive. A person can spend the whole

day answering messages, checking notifications, and doing small tasks. But at the end of the day,

that person may feel tired because they didn't do what was really important.

In English, we have a useful expression.

I have a lot on my plate.

This means I have many responsibilities.

I have many things to do.

For example, I can't help with another project right now.

I already have a lot on my plate.

Another useful expression is, my schedule is packed.

If your schedule is packed, you have many appointments, activities or tasks. You don't have much free time.

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