ASAP = As Soon As POSSIBLE ... Meaning, the earliest you could possibly get it done, regardless of whatever else you are working on. So if it's a two hour task, it should be done in two hours from the time assigned.

If there is some other life-critical activity preventing it from being addressed immediately, you are expected to notify the assigner immediately, and/or assign those other life-critical tasks to someone else. ASAP does not mean "when you finish everything else on your plate". The correct term for that is "when you finish the other tasks you've been assigned, this is next".

How often do you ask subordinates to do something ASAP, OP?

A better way would be to set clear deadlines.

Instead of "Send me September's FLART report ASAP" say "Send me September's FLART report by 4pm today."

Please and thank you optional, but couldn't hurt.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So when you are working on a priority item that is due within an hour and you get an email that is asap, you just drop what you are doing?

I never have ghis issue with my other coworkers and when I’m the one on the receiving end U always ask about the urgency when U’m eirking on a priority item, and I always get the answer that they don’t need it right away.

Again, it means as soon as possible. So, say you are doing CPR on someone and your boss asks you to write a report ASAP. Do you stop CPR to write the report? No, because it’s not possible at the moment. No problem. On the other hand, say you are cleaning your office and your boss says they need a report ASAP. Do you finish cleaning your office? No, you work on the report instead, at that very moment.

This is funny to me as a health care provider. Because actually if we were in a code and I were doing compressions and the physician running the code called out to me by name and said “I need you to give this medication ASAP” I’d probably stop compressions and administer it , and then immediately get back to compressions lol. (Not that this is a realistic scenario)

Before doing something ASAP, I would take care of any urgent bodily functions, if any; then determine if the ASAP request is in conflict with another priority, in which case I may seek clarification, or if it's clear enough to me, proceed as I judge; in any case, I will do the thing ASAP, after the other, more important things, and by the deadline.

In the gov, they might ask you to do a required online training ASAP, but that probably isn't your first priority, and you can weigh the deadline against your other action items.

Anonymous wrote:ASAP means drop everything and do it now.

If my boss says it, yes. If a peer or someone in another department says it...well, I'll consider my priorities and deadlines. It's like marking an email "URGENT."

OP. You were incorrect. Your employee was correct. Apologize and be aware that what your communication style is unclear.

ASAP means drop everything and do it now.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So when you are working on a priority item that is due within an hour and you get an email that is asap, you just drop what you are doing?

I never have ghis issue with my other coworkers and when I’m the one on the receiving end U always ask about the urgency when U’m eirking on a priority item, and I always get the answer that they don’t need it right away.

Again, it means as soon as possible. So, say you are doing CPR on someone and your boss asks you to write a report ASAP. Do you stop CPR to write the report? No, because it’s not possible at the moment. No problem. On the other hand, say you are cleaning your office and your boss says they need a report ASAP. Do you finish cleaning your office? No, you work on the report instead, at that very moment.

OMG this example! Right bc of my boss said "I need this right now" I would stop saving someone's life in order to write some BS work email. Okay then.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How does “as soon as possible” translate to “whoever you get around to it” in your mind?

OP here. To clarify “When you get around to it”- I meant you do this thing once you got around to your other priorities.

Clearly, we are not unanimous about asap.

We are unanimous except for you.

LOL this ,rare unanimity on DCUM

Anonymous wrote:Your employer is more accurate than you. It means the soonest possible time, which includes now if that is possible. It definitely does not mean when you get around to it. It means highest priority. You are not using it correctly.

+1 to all that PPs saying this. You shouldn't go around routinely saying this, OP. You.will have a terrible reputation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You mean to say “at your earliest convenience.” Not ASAP.

This. ASAP means right away, top priority. Sorry, op, you’ve got it wrong.

Agree. OP, next time just give a clear deadline to avoid confusion and second-guessing by either side. If my boss says ASAP, I treat it as urgent.

Anonymous wrote:I would think it would mean by the end of the day, as long as I have everything I need to get it done. If the task requires me to do something that I can't accomplish by the end of the day, I'd probably email back "before tallying the end of month googaws, I need Laura's FLART report, which she only does on Tuesdays. Will tomorrow be ok?"

If my boss wanted me to drop everything and do something NOW, they'd say so. Otherwise, ASAP means "when you have what you need to get it done."

No it doesn’t. If uou mean end of the day say that. Don’t confuse people.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, in current culture it means right now, not when I find the time. There's an urgency to ASAP.

Why are you saying “current culture” as if it used to mean something else? This is what it has always meant. I have no idea how OP misinterpreted so completely.

It always meant Right Now.

The only person confused here is OP. even my aspergers spouse wouldn’t make up a literal new definition for ASAP.

That I can use the washroom if absolutely needed, but all else should wait.