10 Better Ways To Say “Take Your Time” At Work

We say “take your time” to tell someone it’s okay or ever preferred for them to go at their own pace. “Take your time” might not always be the best way to get across that idea, especially at work. This article is going to examine some alternatives.

What Can I Say Instead Of “Take Your Time”?

Here are the phrases we’ll be looking at in this article:

• There’s no rush
• Take all the time you need
• Take it slow
• Be patient
• There’s no hurry
• Don’t rush it
• Whenever you can
• It’s not urgent
• There’s No Deadline
• At your leisure

The preferred option is “there’s no rush.” This phrase is common in professional settings. It communicates that someone can move at their own pace while still respecting that there may be an expected deadline involved, as there often is in professional settings.

There’s No Rush

“There’s no rush” communicates that it’s okay to work at a slower pace. Unlike “take your time,” it doesn’t imply that you can work completely at your own pace. This makes it a great option for the workplace.

“There’s no rush” basically means “there’s no need to push yourself to go quicker.” “Rush” means to go quickly, but implies a sudden flurry of activity and that you may be moving too quickly.

For example, you might rush to meet a deadline. The implication here is you’re moving quicker than you normally would with an expectation that the work may not be the highest quality as a result.

So “there’s no rush” tells people they can work at their normal pace, as the goal is not to finish as quickly as possible.

Here are some examples:

• There’s no rush on that data report. We won’t need it for another month or so.
• Have you started working on that report I asked for yet? There’s no rush, I’m just checking in.
• Don’t worry too much about getting the inventory done by the weekend. There’s no rush.

Take All The Time You Need

“Take all the time you need” is generally synonymous with “take your time.” The primary difference is “take all the time you need” is clearer. It’s great for situations where there isn’t a deadline and you want the best possible output of work.

“Take all the time you need” is explicitly stating that someone is completely free to work at their preferred pace.

This phrase isn’t great in situations where there is a strict deadline. That said, employers will often use this phrase even when there is a deadline in mind, particularly if someone is taking time off.

Here are some examples:

• We don’t have a deadline, as it’s more of a side project we work on when we have time. Take on the time you need on your part.
• Take all the time you need to think about it. There’s no strict deadline here, just get back to me as soon as you have an answer.
• Take all the time you need to grieve. We’ll make sure your tasks are covered.

Take It Slow

“Take it slow” is more of a request or a command. It has the same basic meaning as “take your time,” but emphasizes working at a slow pace instead of taking all the time you need.

“Take it slow” is a particularly useful phrase when you’re speaking to an employee or a coworker who is prone to rushing.

It’s also a good phrase to use while training someone in a new skill. It can help take the pressure off by reminding them they aren’t going to be able to complete the task very quickly while they’re still learning how to do it.

Here are some examples:

• Take it slow. I’d rather it be done right than be done quickly.
• Take it slow. It’s really important you make sure all the data matches up.

Be Patient

“Be patient” can be used in place of “take your time” when you’re teaching someone a new skill. Many people want to be able to do it perfectly right away, and saying “be patient” is a good way to remind them to slow down and focus on learning.

Here “patient” means to stay calm, understanding, and consistent.

If someone is frustrated because they’re having difficulty grasping a new skill, or if they want to rush through all the steps, saying “be patient” is a good way to help their mind slow down.

Here are some examples:

• Be patient. It takes most people a couple of months to feel comfortable doing this. Focus on getting the skills down.
• Try to be more patient with yourself. You just need some more practice.

There’s No Hurry

“There’s no hurry” is synonymous with “there’s no rush.” The primary difference is “there’s no rush” is more common, so it sounds a bit more natural.

“Hurry” has the same implications as “rush.” That is, that you’re moving too quickly or with undue haste.

You can say “there’s no hurry” in any situation where you’d say “there’s no rush.”

Here are some examples:

• There’s no hurry. Just get it to me when you can.
• I would like to start working on it as soon as possible, but realistically there’s no hurry.

Don’t Rush It

“Don’t rush it” is an expression you can use when you don’t want someone to complete a task or project too quickly. You’re not telling them to go slow, rather, you’re telling them to find a sustainable pace that allows them to put out quality work.

“Don’t rush it” is better than “take your time” when you’re working with a deadline.

Here are some examples:

• Don’t rush it. The deadline is flexible, so if you need a bit more time to do it well just let me know.
• I know there’s a lot to do before the deadline, but don’t rush it. If you need some extra help just let me know.

Whenever You Can

When used in professional settings, “whenever you can” is usually a more polite way of saying “as soon as possible.” You say “whenever you can” when you need something from someone but want to respect their existing workload and deadlines.

It’s rare for someone to say “whenever you can” in the workplace and literally mean that “whenever” is a perfectly fine timeframe.

In professional settings, saying “whenever you can” basically communicates that you need something but it’s not so urgent that you’re going to ask them to put aside their other projects to do it for you.

“Whenever you can” communicates that they don’t need to rush even though you might like them to.

Here are some examples:

• Hey Daniel,
• I need a favor. Can you please compile these reports for me? There’s no deadline on this, just get to it whenever you can.
• Thanks!
• Jose

• Jessie,
• I need to meet with you. I only need 15 or 20 minutes. Whenever you can is fine.
• Let me know,
• Roy

It’s Not Urgent

“It’s not urgent” communicates that someone doesn’t need to rush or drop everything else to complete a particular task or project. It’s a great way to preface requests.

“It’s not urgent” means it doesn’t call for immediate action. It’s a great alternative to “take your time” as it doesn’t undercut the idea of there being a deadline.

Here are some examples:

• Are you able to do the mail merge? It’s not urgent. We don’t need it done until next month.
• Can you do something for me? It’s not urgent. I just need someone to check our lightbulb inventory sometime within the next couple of weeks.

There’s No Deadline

Saying “there’s no deadline” makes it clear that there isn’t a strict timeframe. It’s like saying “take your time” but uses more professional, more specific language.

When there isn’t a deadline, that doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t any timeframe. “There’s no deadline” communicates that someone can work at their own pace, but still leaves it open for you to specify a preferred timeline.

Here are some examples:

• I have a small project for you. There’s no deadline, but I’d prefer it gets done before the holidays. Do you have time to take anything else on?
• There’s no deadline on those reports. Just put them together whenever you can.

At Your Leisure

“At your leisure” is a more formal way of saying “take your time.” It’s less common in spoken English, but very useful for written English.

When you say “at your leisure” you’re saying that something can be completed according to one’s own time frame.

“At your leisure” can be used on its own, but it’s often used in combination with other phrases like “there’s no rush” to help enhance or clarify their meaning.

“Your” can be replaced with other possessive pronouns.

Here are some examples:

• Staff,
• HR has developed a new demographics survey. We are hoping to collect staff demographics. Please fill out the survey linked below. There is no deadline, so you can fill it out at your leisure.
• Best,
• Management

• John,
• There’s no time limit on the assessment, so you can complete it at your leisure.
• Hope that helps,
• Bess

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