Has anyone ever had a positive outcome from explaining their insane workload to their CD?
I’m managing 10+ client projects each week in various stages on a light week and I don’t think they understand how unsustainable that is when paired with non-billable asks since I always get it done. This work load means I have zero wiggle room for mistakes or fires with my timing or everything slips and will be late. I feel like I’m getting punished for being competent. 4 months like this, I’m tired af.

Welcome to advertising in 2025. It’s like this everywhere.

I’ve tried this approach and have had some success (mileage may vary):

-Start off by saying you didn’t want to bring this up to them but you’ve exhausted other options and wanted their help/advice.

-BE FIRM: I currently have [10] projects in my schedule. I can only realistically have time to do [7] projects to the standards that we expect at this agency.

-BE COLLABORATIVE: Out of the 10 projects on my plate, These 3 are higher priority and are “mission critical” (*barf sorry). Can you confirm that these should take precedence over the others?

-BE PROACTIVE : for the remaining less critical projects, here are suggestions on who would be great to take some of these projects. Pick a few people who can maybe stretch to get the project done, maybe someone a little more junior.

Part of a CDs job is to help prioritize your work and bring focus and direction when you’re starting to spin and get lost. You shouldn’t feel like you can’t approach them- if you do, hate to say it, but it might be time to look at other options.

My expectation is that my creatives speak up when they’re overloaded. Your cd should have that same expectation. Raise the flag, let them know you’re on too much. Then they can talk to resourcing and find you some support.

I’m just a little worried there will be backlash and I’ll be seen as not a team player for being like hey guys this is actually insane.

Go to them with a suggestion of 2 to 3 projects you want to shift to someone to offload. Make sure the remaining workload keeps you billable. Your CD will appreciate the proactive approach and that you’re identifying ways to spread the billable work around. Good luck!

I always think it's worthwhile to bring as list of all of your commitments (billable and non-billable) to the conversation so you can tackle the convo together. Let them know you're trying to prioritize and want to know where to invest the most energy. Also discuss how this overload might not be sustainable long-term. You can also offer to help delegate some items and coach a more junior individual to help take things off your plate. Being some solutions, not just venting of the problems and it'll be well received. If it isn't, then you know it's time to start looking elsewhere.

Absolutely. Come to the table with alternate ideas and strategies, and avoid framing this as a handful of complaints. This will put you in a positive light as being solutions oriented.

Design Manager 1
now

You should always make it a priority as part of your deadline management to raise any flags when needed. If you are ’getting it done’, then to outside eyes it’s manageable…

Go to your CD with a viable list of what you need to offload and why. The rest is up to them if they deem it appropriate… however, that seems to be the problem.

A more forceful, black and white approach is needed. If you don’t have the bandwidth and are being stretched too thin, you are not doing your best work…

This is the subtle art of managing upwards.

I just want to add, as a PM who assigns work to designers and as a manager of other people, sometimes we don’t know if someone has too much work. Not all projects and people are the same, so the work time estimates can be more of an art than a science. It’s good to communicate your concerns. Perhaps some projects can get can get handed off, pushed back timing-wise, or maybe even at minimum you can get some extra days off to refresh yourself.

It’s time for a conversation. Approach it non-emotionally, and you’ll gain valuable insight. Everything you need to determine your next steps will become clear.

Do your job, quietly, or someone else will. Not to be harsh, it’s just the reality. You have 10, someone is smiling and grinning through 15.

I hope you can get all the help you need, AD. When I worked at the agency that shares it name with a kebab, I approached my higher ups about having too much work and not enough time.

I was told to "prove it," which led to me just not seeking help and all and spending the next three years struggling, chronically stressed, depressed and burned out.

What can add to that stress is when you tell your CD that you're not superhuman and you can't do it all, you "look bad" or you're not a "team player," when really you're one person being asked to do the work of 3 or 4. And then you question yourself.

I'd also like to know what's on the other side of this. Is your copywriter partner also dealing with an insane workload? I don't know, but my guess is that they're not as typically the Art Director is the one working longer hours, dealing with endless feedback from never-satisfied CDs and account teams and revisions that take hours, as opposed to the copywriter hitting the 'Backspace' key. That is why I'm out of the game. Your post wasn't about this but since advertising is dying anyway, one thing that needs to die is the standard AD/CW partnership. The division of labor is not the same.

I think you just have to be in constant communication about your bandwidth. You don’t want to be so stretched that the work suffers, and they don’t want that either. The time to say No is when you get a new assignment, IMO. Tell them exactly what you can take and what you don’t have time to squeeze in.