to be busy · to be occupied with something
Ever had those moments at work when you're knee-deep in a project and someone pops by with a 'quick question'? 😬 This phrase is your polite lifesaver to say, 'Can't talk right now, I'm swamped!' without sounding rude. It’s perfect when you’re fully engrossed in a task and can't easily break away. 📚✨
💡 **Pro Tip!** You can use 'to be tied up with' to specify what's keeping you busy (e.g., 'I'm tied up with a client call'). If you're busy all day, you might say 'I'm a bit tied up all morning/afternoon'. It implies a temporary state of unavailability, usually due to an ongoing task, making it a super common and polite way to manage expectations in the workplace! 🚀💼
Your manager asks you to quickly review a document, but you are in the middle of an urgent task. Which expression would you use to politely decline for now, indicating you are busy? A. I'm all ears! B. I'm a bit tied up at the moment. C. Let's call it a day!