Methods and apparatus related to a mechanism for quickly adapting garbage collection resource allocation for an incoming I/O (Input/Output) workload are described. In one embodiment, non-volatile memory stores data corresponding to a first workload and a second workload. Allocation of one or more resources in the non-volatile memory is determined based at least in part on a determination of an average validity of one or more blocks, where the one or more candidate bands are to be processed during operation of the first workload or the second workload. Other embodiments are also disclosed and claimed.