bites off more than one can chew
Takes on excess
To bite off more than one can chew is to take on more than one can handle—committing to a task, project, or responsibility beyond one's capacity.
The image is of stuffing your mouth too full to manage: She bit off more than she could chew when she agreed to plan the wedding alone.
The phrase usually appears after the fact, when overcommitment has become apparent.
- biting offSevering with teeth
- overworkToil to exhaustion
- failureLack of success
- crash and burnFail completely and visibly
- struggleLabored effort against resistance
in over your head · overwhelm · running on empty · mistakes · balance · miscalculation · regret · stress · dropping the ball · overextension · too many irons in the fire · impracticality · prioritization · burnout · overload · ambition · multitasking · hubris
bites off more than one can chewstays in one's lane
Refrains from interfering
errs on the side of caution · hedges one's bets · rests on one's laurels · takes it easy
bites off more than one can chewerrs on the side of caution
Acts with excessive prudence
holds back · tests the waters · sits on the fence · rests on one's laurels · underachieves