The phrase "is up to one's ears in" means to be inundated or overwhelmed with something. A few antonyms for this expression could be "free", "idle", "unoccupied", "at ease", and "unburdened". Additionally, the terms "spare", "unoccupied", "relaxed", and "uncommitted" are good antonyms, as they describe states of being without a heavy workload or excessive stress. A person who is unoccupied can pursue other endeavors than their heavy work, whereas one who is relaxed is at peace and free from tension, and one who is unburdened has no burden of obligation to handle. Whatever the antonym, it is clear that the opposite of being "up to one's ears in" something is to have some space and time for oneself.
