overcommitment

[/ˌoʊvərkəˈmɪtmənt/]
nounpl: overcommitments
supercomprometimento
1. The act of committing oneself to more responsibilities, tasks, or obligations than one can realistically manage or complete
Her overcommitment to multiple projects led to burnout and decreased productivity.
Seu supercomprometimento com múltiplos projetos levou ao esgotamento e redução de produtividade.
2. A situation where resources, time, or energy are pledged beyond available capacity
The company's overcommitment of resources to expansion plans left little budget for maintenance.
O supercomprometimento de recursos da empresa com planos de expansão deixou pouco orçamento para manutenção.
3. In finance, pledging more assets or capital than actually available
The bank's overcommitment of funds resulted in liquidity problems.
O supercomprometimento de fundos do banco resultou em problemas de liquidez.
In American corporate culture, overcommitment is increasingly recognized as a mental health and productivity issue, particularly relevant to work-life balance discussions. In Brazil, the concept is often discussed in contexts of professional ambition and the pressure to demonstrate availability and dedication. The term has gained prominence with discussions of burnout (esgotamento profissional) in both cultures.
NYC Slang
taking on too much / biting off more than you can chew
Synonyms / Sinônimos
overextensionoverschedulingoverallocationexcessive commitmentoverambition
Antonyms / Antônimos
undercommitmentrestraintmoderationprudence

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
supercomprometimento
Most common formal usage; also used as 'compromisso excessivo'
Rio de Janeiro
sobrecarga de compromissos
Often expressed descriptively rather than as single term
São Paulo
supercomprometimento / excesso de commitments
Business context frequently uses English term mixed with Portuguese
Portugal
sobre-comprometimento
Hyphenated form common in European Portuguese

Related Words

commitmentovercommitburnoutcapacityobligationresponsibility

Related Idioms & Phrases

bite off more than you can chew
spread yourself too thin
have too many irons in the fire
exceed one's grasp
estar com a corda no pescoço (Brazilian: to be in a tight spot due to overcommitment)
Look up more words on Fala2Me
The free English-Portuguese dictionary with real Brazilian accents, NYC slang, conjugator and more
Open Fala2Me →