Today we talk about our busy lives . Many people have family and work responsibilities . We might have religious or community activities . Taking care of our health is also important . And let's not forget about our personal projects , our interests , and our friendships . With everything on our plate , it is easy to feel overwhelmed , overextended , and overcommitted . However , if we try to do too much , we may spread ourselves too thin . This expression means we have taken on too much . We are pushed to the limit . People who are spread too thin , take on too many jobs , projects , or goals . The heavy load requires more energy or attention than they possess . And it is possible such multitasking could stress us out . Being spread too thin can also be described as biting off more than we can chew . When we bite off more than we can chew , we attempt to do more than is possible . Now , let's hear these some of these terms and expressions used in a conversation . So , how are your classes going ? Many of my best students are failing my course . They all missed an important deadline for a project . What else do they have going on ? They are all performing in the same play . So , they have had rehearsals every night for the past month . And many have part-time jobs as well . Sounds like they've spread themselves too thin . They've got too much going on . I think you're right . So , what are you going to do ? Well , first I'll extend the deadline . And then I'm going to warn them about biting off more than they can chew .