Everyday Office Jargon · Associate level

"Put out fires"

"Put out fires" means to spend your time resolving urgent problems as they arise, rather than doing planned work.

Say this instead: deal with emergencies

How "Put out fires" shows up at work

The go-to phrase for anyone whose entire week got eaten by crises. Often said with a tired kind of pride, as if constant firefighting is a personality trait rather than a planning failure.

Buzzword

I've been putting out fires all week and haven't touched the roadmap.

Plain English

I've been dealing with emergencies all week and haven't touched the roadmap.

Corporate Rank: Associate · Category: Everyday Office Jargon

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