A key theme in mobile communications research is the idea that people are suffering from communications overload. This essay remarks on what that term might mean and how it ought to be addressed when viewed from the perspective of mobile phone research. It will argue that its use in everyday life is rich and complex, and that this use ought to be a research topic in its own right. Some of the difficulties that will need to be addressed when this occurs are noted. © The Author(s) 2013.