10 Polite Ways to Tell Someone They Are Wasting Your Time

Not everything people share with you is relevant or useful information.

Sometimes, it’s easy for people to waste your time You need to know how to politely say “this is a waste of time” when that happens.

Luckily, we’re here to help.

This article has gathered some phrases showing you ways to stop someone from wasting your time.

• I’m afraid I don’t have the time to continue this discussion
• I have a limited amount of time available, so I need to move on
• As much as I appreciate this, I need to move on
• I’m finding it hard to fit this discussion around my schedule
• I’m afraid my schedule is too hectic for this to continue right now
• I need to prioritize my time more effectively
• I don’t think our conversation is getting the results you hoped for
• Can we please conclude our conversation for now?
• We’re going in circles, and I think we need to part ways to reevaluate
• I’m afraid we haven’t reached a resolution yet, so I need to move on

Keep reading to learn how to say “waste of time” politely. It’s best to remain polite in these situations so you don’t upset the other party!

1. I’m Afraid I Don’t Have the Time to Continue This Discussion

You can politely tell someone they are wasting your time with “I’m afraid I don’t have the time to continue this discussion.”

It’s an effective and formal alternative that shows someone is taking up too much of your time.

Try it when emailing a client. It shows you don’t have time to talk to them about something you deem irrelevant.

Of course, to keep things helpful and polite, you should direct them to someone else. This could allow one of your coworkers to start a conversation with them to keep things civil.

You can also review the following email example:

Dear Mr. Partridge,

I’m afraid I don’t have the time to continue this discussion. Please, talk to one of my peers about it instead.

All the best,
Joe Williamson

2. I Have a Limited Amount of Time Available, so I Need to Move On

To say you don’t want to waste your time politely, start with “I have a limited amount of time available.”

It’s respectful and formal, making it an excellent one to include in conversations.

From there, you can write “so I need to move on.” This is a great way to show that you’re not interested in continuing a conversation.

Generally, this works best in spoken contexts. It’s not something you’ll have much luck with in emails.

The following examples can also help you with it:

• I have a limited amount of time available, so I need to move on. I appreciate you setting up this meeting, though.
• I’m afraid I have a limited amount of time available, so I need to move on. I wish you well and hope you get the result you want.

3. As Much as I Appreciate This, I Need to Move On

Another great conversation alternative is “as much as I appreciate this, I need to move on.”

It’s polite and respectful, showing people you’re ready to move away from a subject.

We recommend using it when talking to clients. It remains polite and shows you don’t want to offend them, even though you might not have much time to discuss something with them.

The following examples should clear things up for you:

• As much as I appreciate this, I need to move on. There are more pressing matters for me to attend to right now.
• As much as I appreciate this, I need to move on. I’m afraid we’re just not going to see eye-to-eye.

4. I’m Finding It Hard to Fit This Discussion Around My Schedule

You can say “I’m finding it hard to fit this discussion around my schedule.” It’s a respectful way to tell people you don’t have time to listen to their issues and would like to move away from the topic.

For instance, you can use it when emailing clients. It shows you do not believe your conversation is productive.

There’s nothing wrong with letting someone know that they’re wasting your time. Even clients will waste your time sometimes. It’s best to let them know directly with phrases like this.

Check out this sample email if you need more help:

Dear Miss Harrison,

I’m finding it hard to fit this discussion around my schedule. Please forgive me, but I need to move on.

Yours,
Duncan Bradbury

5. I’m Afraid My Schedule Is Too Hectic for This to Continue Right Now

Try “I’m afraid my schedule is too hectic for this to continue right now.” It’s an indirect phrase that shows you’re too busy for someone.

It doesn’t directly tell someone they’re wasting your time. Instead, it simply says you do not have enough time to spare them, which can be seen as more friendly and honest.

You can also review this email example:

Dear Tom,

I’m afraid my schedule is too hectic for this to continue right now. I hope you find someone who can help you better than I can.

Best regards,
Hannah Pain

6. I Need to Prioritize My Time More Effectively

“I need to prioritize my time more effectively” allows you to professionally say “this is a waste of time.” It’s good to include when emailing employees.

It shows you’re in control of your schedule, but you can’t fit a discussion or meeting in right now. This should let your employee know that you have no reason to continue the discussion.

Generally, this is a positive way to let someone know you need to move on.

Here’s a great sample email to show you how it works:

Dear George,

I’m afraid I need to prioritize my time more effectively. Therefore, this is not a discussion I need to have with you right now.

All the best,
Martin Dolan

7. I Don’t Think Our Conversation Is Getting the Results You Hoped For

You can try using “I don’t think our conversation is getting the results you hoped for” to let someone know they’re wasting your time.

Most of the time, people will want to talk to you to get something productive out of it. However, if it is not a productive conversation, it’s worth highlighting that.

It might encourage the other party to step away and stop wasting your time. It also remains formal and polite, which is ideal when handling these things sensitively.

Here are some examples to show you how it works:

• Look, Marcus, I don’t think our conversation is getting the results you hoped for. We need to move on.
• I don’t think our conversation is getting the results you hoped for. I suggest we both move away from the topic.

8. Can We Please Conclude Our Conversation for Now?

Try “can we please conclude our conversation for now?” as a formal question. It shows you how to professionally say a meeting is a waste of time when you get nothing out of it.

We recommend using it when meeting with clients. It suggests you’re not getting much out of a meeting and would like to reevaluate the topic before you decide to meet again.

After all, talking about irrelevant topics is bound to be a waste of time. There really is no way around that.

Here are a few examples to help you understand it:

• Can we please conclude our conversation for now? I’d like to stay on good terms with you, but this isn’t helping me.
• Can we please conclude our conversation for now? I’m afraid we’re not going to see this in the same way.

9. We’re Going in Circles, And I Think We Need to Part Ways to Reevaluate

You may also write “we’re going in circles” at the start of your statement. It suggests that a conversation is unproductive.

From there, say “I think we need to part ways to reevaluate.” It shows you don’t appreciate your time being wasted and would like to take a step back to see if you can make things better for both parties.

Check out these examples if you still need more help with it:

• Okay, we’re going in circles, and I think we need to part ways to reevaluate. Do you agree?
• We’re going in circles, and I think we need to part ways to reevaluate. I hope you understand that, as this isn’t good for either of us.

10. I’m Afraid We Haven’t Reached a Resolution Yet, so I Need to Move On

Finally, we’ll go back to an alternative that works well in a professional email.

It’s good to say “I’m afraid we haven’t reached a resolution yet” to show that someone is wasting your time.

After that, you can say “so I need to move on.” This allows you to say “you wasted my time” in a professional way.

It works well when emailing clients. It reminds them that you’re trying to stay productive, but you simply can’t find common ground with them.

Here is an email sample to show you how to use it:

Dear Mrs. Day,

I’m afraid we haven’t reached a resolution yet, so I need to move on. I’m so sorry we couldn’t agree on this.

Best regards,
Julia Lodi