What to say instead of ASAP

- Recently, I found myself using the very word I've cautioned others against using many times. I noticed something was wrong on my website, so I reached out to my project manager, John. John's reliable, and I knew he could help. I was in a hurry, and I made my mistake when I typed John, I need you to fix this ASAP. As soon as I hit send, it was like the needle scratching across the grooves of an LP record. ASAP is a word, really an acronym, that means nothing and everything at the same time, especially from a time management perspective. It isn't clear communication. Consider this. When you say you need something as soon as possible, what does that really mean, in an hour, by the end of the day, the end of the week, after I complete the other project you delegated to me or right now? There are many ways in which a coworker can interpret your words. So choose them a bit more carefully. Instead of hitting this vague panic button when an urgent matter pops up, reframe things. Use clear communication. In most cases, a task simply needs a deadline and isn't an emergency. Even if the deadline is very soon, such as the end of the day, saying so is easier to understand and helps the people around you understand how to plan their day, and if something truly is an emergency, make it clear that it should be worked on immediately. This clearly conveys what you need from your coworkers. Let's end ASAP ASAP.