Real-world English expressions for office workers when leaving work late or being overwhelmed by overtime

Hello. Because I've been getting off work late for the past few days, I am writing this after a very long time.

The life of an office worker feels like it's quite difficult to plan according to one's own intentions. It is common for routines to be broken due to sudden variables or unexpected company tasks. In my case, since I usually get off work very late on Mondays and Tuesdays, I'm busy just looking at a few words and falling asleep as soon as I get home at the beginning of the week.

Moving forward, I think there may be times when I cannot post or will post very late at night depending on my work schedule. However, even if I cannot post, I am trying my best not to skip studying vocabulary every day.

Today, for fellow office workers like me who have been overwhelmed by overtime since the start of the week, I have organized three vivid English expressions for office workers that are actually useful when talking to foreign colleagues or friends.

1. Expressions for when you are "working late"

People often think of the word overtime first when they talk about working late. However, when you are staying late just because you have a lot of work, rather than official extended working hours that come with overtime pay, this expression is used much more frequently in spoken English.

Work late: To stay at work until a late hour (The most popular and natural expression)
Work overtime: To work beyond one's regular working hours (often implying extra pay)

• I usually work late on Mondays and Tuesdays. ◦ (I usually get off work very late on Mondays and Tuesdays.)

2. Expressions for when "something has come up"

This is a perfect expression used by native speakers when work suddenly arises just as it’s time to leave, or when a plan is disrupted due to an unexpected appointment. It is also a convenient excuse when you are too exhausted after work and want to postpone an engagement.

Something comes up: An unexpected event or task occurs

• Unexpected things always come up during the week. ◦ (Unexpected things always happen during the weekdays.)

3. Expressions for when "you are snowed under with work"

Here in Canada where I live, there is a unique pattern where the workload in almost every industry surges in the summer and becomes relatively quiet in the winter. There is a fun expression that is perfect to use when you are so busy that work has piled up like a mountain, just like these days at the start of the week.

Be snowed under (with work): To have more work than you can handle; to be overwhelmed by tasks

• I am totally snowed under with work early in the week. ◦ (I am completely overwhelmed with work at the beginning of the week.)

Closing

When you absolutely cannot find the time, trying to force yourself to sit at a desk for an hour or two will only lead to quick burnout. In such cases, it is better to study in short, 5- or 10-minute bursts, or to do just a little bit every day; that seems to be the secret to going the distance.

It is easy to compromise and give up if you do it alone, but I hope you think of me as a 'friend running alongside you' as you watch me consistently working on my goals here, however imperfectly. To all the office workers who are exhausted from working late since the beginning of the week, you have worked really hard today. Keep it up, everyone!