{"id":568,"date":"2024-09-11T01:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-09-11T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/?p=568"},"modified":"2024-09-11T01:00:02","modified_gmt":"2024-09-11T01:00:02","slug":"10-ways-to-say-youre-busy-without-being-rude","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/business-work\/10-ways-to-say-youre-busy-without-being-rude\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Ways to Say You\u2019re Busy Without Being Rude [Updated]"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/business-work\/10-ways-to-say-youre-busy-without-being-rude\/#Im_tied_up\" >I\u2019m tied up.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/business-work\/10-ways-to-say-youre-busy-without-being-rude\/#Im_preoccupied\" >I\u2019m preoccupied.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/business-work\/10-ways-to-say-youre-busy-without-being-rude\/#I_have_a_lot_on_my_plate\" >I have a lot on my plate.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/business-work\/10-ways-to-say-youre-busy-without-being-rude\/#I_dont_have_the_bandwidth\" >I don&#8217;t have the bandwidth.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/business-work\/10-ways-to-say-youre-busy-without-being-rude\/#Im_juggling_a_lot_right_now\" >I\u2019m juggling a lot right now.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/business-work\/10-ways-to-say-youre-busy-without-being-rude\/#Im_spread_pretty_thin\" >I\u2019m spread (pretty) thin.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/business-work\/10-ways-to-say-youre-busy-without-being-rude\/#Im_up_to_my_ears\" >I&#8217;m up to my ears.&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/business-work\/10-ways-to-say-youre-busy-without-being-rude\/#Im_buried_in_work\" >I\u2019m buried in work.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/business-work\/10-ways-to-say-youre-busy-without-being-rude\/#Im_swamped\" >I\u2019m swamped.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/business-work\/10-ways-to-say-youre-busy-without-being-rude\/#Things_are_really_hectic\" >Things are really hectic.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/business-work\/10-ways-to-say-youre-busy-without-being-rude\/#Wrap-up\" >Wrap-up<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>\u201cBusy\u201d is a popular English word, but it isn't always used in the way that many learners think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, if you use it to explain to a coworker why you can\u2019t take their call or attend a meeting, it can sound rude and even a bit unprofessional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want a safer option, listed below are 10 English expressions that will communicate the same idea in a much better way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"I'm-tied-up\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Im_tied_up\"><\/span>I\u2019m tied up.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/05\/25193430\/image-6-1024x684.jpeg\" alt=\"A man in a business suit tied up with rope\" class=\"wp-image-575\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/05\/25193430\/image-6-1024x684.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/05\/25193430\/image-6-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2021\/05\/25193430\/image-6-768x513.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Think of each task you need to work on as a rope. Each time you take on a new task, another rope is tied around you until you\u2019re all \u201ctied up\u201d and not free to work on anything else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I\u2019m all <strong>tied up<\/strong> with this project. Try asking Janet for help.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sorry I was unable to return your call today. I was <strong>tied up<\/strong> in meetings all day.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Im_preoccupied\"><\/span>I\u2019m preoccupied.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine someone knocking on your office door while you\u2019re having a meeting. Or imagine getting a call while you\u2019re driving to work. In either case, you can say you're \u201cpreoccupied\u201d because you are <em>already<\/em> (\u201cpre-\u201d) <em>occupied <\/em>(busy doing something).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sorry, I\u2019m a little <strong>preoccupied<\/strong> at the moment. Can I call you back later?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>No worries about the <a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/7-ways-to-politely-apologize-for-a-late-reply-in-english\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">late reply<\/a>. I understand you\u2019re <strong>preoccupied<\/strong> with more urgent matters at the moment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"I_have_a_lot_on_my_plate\"><\/span>I have a lot on my plate.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1060\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/08\/20055135\/ways_to_say_im_busy.jpg\" alt=\"A white plate with chicken, fries, carrots and broccoli on a wooden table\" class=\"wp-image-9333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/08\/20055135\/ways_to_say_im_busy.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/08\/20055135\/ways_to_say_im_busy-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/08\/20055135\/ways_to_say_im_busy-1024x678.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/08\/20055135\/ways_to_say_im_busy-768x509.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If your plate is full, there\u2019s no room for you to put more food on it. In terms of work (and even daily life), this means you can\u2019t accept any more tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I\u2019d love to help, but <strong>I\u2019ve got<\/strong> <strong>a lot<\/strong> <strong>on my plate<\/strong> right now.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>That\u2019s a nice idea, but our team already <strong>has<\/strong> <strong>so much<\/strong> <strong>on our plate<\/strong>, I don\u2019t think we\u2019ll be able to work on it until at least next year.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"I_dont_have_the_bandwidth\"><\/span>I don&#8217;t have the bandwidth.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/app\/words\/word\/bandwidth\/jM7Mp1diS0mOgMJIxyYsEg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Bandwidth<\/a>\u201d is a technical term that has become a popular way to talk about the time and energy needed for work. However, it's mostly used in negative sentences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I wish I could take care of this now, but <strong>I don't have the bandwidth<\/strong> at the moment. Sorry!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>I don't have the bandwidth<\/strong> to handle that right now. You could try asking me about it again next month.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Im_juggling_a_lot_right_now\"><\/span>I\u2019m juggling a lot right now.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1069\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/08\/20055106\/ways_to_say_im_busy_2.jpg\" alt=\"A man in a black t-shirt juggling three blue objects\" class=\"wp-image-9334\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/08\/20055106\/ways_to_say_im_busy_2.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/08\/20055106\/ways_to_say_im_busy_2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/08\/20055106\/ways_to_say_im_busy_2-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/08\/20055106\/ways_to_say_im_busy_2-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/08\/20055106\/ways_to_say_im_busy_2-420x280.jpg 420w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/08\/20055106\/ways_to_say_im_busy_2-840x560.jpg 840w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/app\/words\/word\/juggle\/CGjH6wHPTiKs9nH-P2rAXw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Juggling<\/a>\u201d takes a lot of energy and focus to do right. After all, you don't want to make a mistake and drop anything! This idea also applies to handling a lot of tasks at the same time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I\u2019d love to help, but I\u2019m <strong>juggling<\/strong> two jobs while also taking care of my newborn son. Sorry!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I can make some time for lessons with my <a href=\"http:\/\/engoo.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tutor<\/a> even though I'm <strong>juggling<\/strong> a lot of stuff at the moment. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Im_spread_pretty_thin\"><\/span>I\u2019m spread (pretty) thin.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you only have a little butter to <em>spread<\/em> on a piece of toast, it will become a very <em>thin <\/em>layer of butter. So if you\u2019re \u201cspread thin,\u201d it means you\u2019re spreading your limited time and energy among a lot of tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>I\u2019m afraid I can\u2019t take on another commitment this semester. I\u2019ve already <strong>spread <\/strong>myself too<strong> thin<\/strong> with two part-time jobs and extra classes.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I realize that your team's resources are <strong>spread thin<\/strong> at the moment, but please do keep this initiative in mind.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Related article: <a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/travel-fun\/essential-english-vocabulary-for-cooking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Essential English Vocabulary for Cooking<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"> I'm up to my ears.&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Think of a pile of work documents that is stacked from the floor all the way up to your ears!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It feels like <strong>I\u2019m<\/strong> always <strong>up to my ears<\/strong> in paperwork. I need a break!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>We\u2019ll be up to our ears<\/strong> in work before the holiday season.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You can use this expression for many situations. For example, you can be up to your ears in laundry (if you haven\u2019t washed your clothes in a while) or debt (if there is a lot of money you need to pay off).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Im_buried_in_work\"><\/span>I\u2019m buried in work.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"664\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/08\/20094603\/ways_to_say_im_busy_4-1-1024x664.jpg\" alt=\"A businessman toy figure covered by small documents\" class=\"wp-image-9343\" srcset=\"https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/08\/20094603\/ways_to_say_im_busy_4-1-1024x664.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/08\/20094603\/ways_to_say_im_busy_4-1-300x195.jpg 300w, https:\/\/assets.blog.engoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2024\/08\/20094603\/ways_to_say_im_busy_4-1-768x498.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Imagine you\u2019re <a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/app\/words\/word\/bury\/zga0ELstQmCjlQAAAAB9fw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">buried<\/a> in piles and piles of work and you can\u2019t escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Two of our team members are <a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/business-work\/3-easy-steps-for-calling-in-sick-in-english\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">out sick<\/a>, so we\u2019re really <strong>buried<\/strong> in work this week.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There\u2019s no way I can take a vacation right now. I\u2019m <strong>buried<\/strong> in deadlines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>People also say \u201cI\u2019m drowning (in work)\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m snowed under (with work).\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Im_swamped\"><\/span>I\u2019m swamped.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s easy to get stuck in a <a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/app\/words\/word\/swamp\/D7-7WnYMQE-07ZsiMVHn7g\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">swamp<\/a> \u2014&nbsp;or even sink into one! Similarly, if you\u2019re \u201cswamped\u201d with work, it's like you have so much that you cannot move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>We\u2019re launching our marketing campaign this week, so I'm really <strong>swamped<\/strong>. But starting on Sunday, I'll be quite free.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It\u2019s my first day back at work, so I\u2019m <strong>swamped<\/strong>. Can I <a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/2021\/04\/06\/five-business-expressions-in-english-instead-of-contact\/#:~:text=chat-,Get%20Back%20(phrasal,weeks%20about%20the%20position,-Drop\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">get back to you<\/a> on this next week?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Things_are_really_hectic\"><\/span>Things are really hectic.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHectic\u201d means that there are a lot of things going on that are difficult to organize or control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>My schedule is quite <strong>hectic<\/strong> these days, but let\u2019s catch up next time you\u2019re here.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>I realize things are really <strong>hectic<\/strong> for you this time of year, but I must remind you that your payments are weeks overdue.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep in mind that you can\u2019t say <s>\u201cI\u2019m hectic.\u201d<\/s> \u201cHectic\u201d describes a schedule, your life and things in your life. It can also describe periods of time (\u201cIt\u2019s been a hectic day\u201d or \u201cThis week has been hectic\u201d). However, it is not used to describe people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Wrap-up\"><\/span>Wrap-up<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if you have very little time for new tasks, you can still let others know in a polite way. The phrases we\u2019ve introduced here may seem quite casual, but they are all common in professional situations. However, it is still a good idea to be careful using them with your boss or others with a higher position than your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you can use these phrases well, the following article will help you learn ways to simply say \u201cNo\u201d in informal situations:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/language-tips\/no-way-jose-other-ways-to-say-no\/\">\"No way, Jos\u00e9!\" Other Ways to Say \"No\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cBusy\u201d is a popular English word, but it isn't always used in the way that many learners think. For example, if you use it to explain to a coworker why you can\u2019t take their call...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":160,"featured_media":569,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"unified_meta_tagline_field":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[58,50],"class_list":["post-568","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-work","tag-other-ways-to-say","tag-politeness"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>10 Ways to Say You\u2019re Busy Without Being Rude<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u201cBusy\u201d is short and direct. But it\u2019s not the best choice when you want to explain why you can\u2019t do something. Try these alternatives instead!\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/engoo.com\/blog\/business-work\/10-ways-to-say-youre-busy-without-being-rude\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"10 Ways to Say You\u2019re Busy Without Being Rude\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u201cBusy\u201d is short and direct. But it\u2019s not the best choice when you want to explain why you can\u2019t do something. 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