Updated September 2026: in 2018 I wrote about a bid that started with a few hours of work a day and grew until it filled every day, with weekend support looming even though I rushed to finish early. I have rewritten it into advice on managing a growing bid workload.
At first the new bid was light. I finished my work in a few hours and had the rest of the day to myself. As days passed, I was given more and more slides, and the work filled whole days. The account team had already asked for weekend support, and I dislike working weekends, so I finished everything as fast as I could, hoping to keep the weekend free. By Friday the workload was still high, and I was sure I would be supporting the bid over the weekend.
Why does bid work grow?
Client answers arrive, reviewers add requests, and the story of the proposal changes. The final week of a bid often carries most of the work, however quiet the start.
How do you keep a growing workload under control?
- Track every request: with who asked and when it is due.
- Push back on duplicates: merge slides that say the same thing.
- Use templates: for recurring content such as governance and transition plans.
- Tell your manager when it doubles: they may add help or reset priorities.
Does working faster protect your weekend?
Only partly. Speed helps, but if new requests keep coming, finishing early just brings the next request sooner. Agreeing what "done" means for your part is what protects the weekend.
How do you make weekend support lighter?
Agree fixed windows, keep changes to review comments rather than new sections, and make sure your drafts are complete on Friday so only edits remain.
What is the lesson?
Plan for the final week to be the busiest, whatever the first week looks like.
Should you mention the extra hours?
Yes, factually. A short note to your manager listing what was added and the time it took helps them plan the next bid, and it is useful evidence at appraisal time.
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