Do you want to know better ways to tell someone to do something when they have time?
Maybe you’re concerned that “when you get a chance” isn’t the most professional phrase to include in your emails.
Well, you’ve come to the right place to learn more.
This article will explore how to say “when you get a chance” professionally.
Is It Professional to Say “When You Get a Chance”?
It is unprofessional to say “when you get a chance.”
Generally, the phrase itself is informal. So, it’s not a great way to encourage someone to do something when time permits.
However, it’s not rude. So, it’s still a suitable phrase to include in something like a message to a coworker or employee when you need them to get something done.
Here’s a helpful example to give you a better idea of what we mean:
Can you get on top of this when you get a chance? I think we need to start looking into the situation more.
Pros
- It’s a great way to respect someone’s busy schedule.
- It’s often quite a friendly way to show that you’re happy to wait for someone to do something.
Cons
- It’s not very professional.
- It’s a bit generic.
So, you might not want to use “when you get a chance” in professional emails. But that’s okay because there are plenty of other options available to you.
Keep reading to learn how to say “when you get a chance” in an email. We’ve touched on some of the best alternatives to give you a clearer picture of how they might apply.
What to Say Instead of “When You Get a Chance”
- At your earliest convenience
- When it suits your schedule
- Whenever you have a moment
- In your own time
- When you find a spare moment
- When it’s convenient for you
- As time permits
- When you’re able to
- When you’re free
1. At Your Earliest Convenience
You can start by using “at your earliest convenience” as another way to say “when you get a chance.”
This is an excellent phrase to use when you want to keep things formal and sincere.
It suggests that you’d like somebody to get on with their work, but you don’t want to put too much pressure on them.
So, this can work well when writing to clients. It suggests that you need their help finalizing a project, but you can’t move forward until they’ve done their part.
You could also review the following email sample to learn a bit more about using it:
Dear Ms. Bryant,
It would help if you could get this done at your earliest convenience.
Of course, let me know if there’s anything I can do to help you further.
All the best,
Wallace Groom
2. When It Suits Your Schedule
The more respectful you are of someone’s schedule, the better the response will be.
That’s where “when it suits your schedule” comes in.
After all, this is a professional and direct way to show that you’d like someone to get a job done.
However, it also keeps things respectful and shows that you understand someone might be too busy to get on with something right away.
Therefore, you might want to use this when writing to your boss.
After all, you might not know your boss’ schedule very well. Something like this is a great way to encourage them to get something done, even if you’re unsure when they might be free to do it.
If you still don’t get it, you may want to review the following email example:
Dear Mr. Jenkins,
Please get back to meabout this when it suits your schedule.
I’d like to know whether I should continue looking into something like this.
Yours,
Tyler Jeffs
3. Whenever You Have a Moment
It’s also good to write “whenever you have a moment” in some cases. It’s a formal synonym that works well when encouraging someone to do the work you’ve asked of them.
Therefore, this can work quite well when contacting an employee.
After all, it suggests that you’d like them to get something done, but you appreciate they might have other work commitments to get through first.
Of course, you won’t know exactly how long it might be before someone is able to complete something. But it’s still worth using this phrase to be respectful and polite when trying to get someone to work around their schedule.
Feel free to review the following sample email if you still need help:
Dear Jeff,
Please get on top of this project whenever you have a moment.
I’d like to see what you make of it, as I think you’ll have great ideas.
Best wishes,
Sally Taylor
4. In Your Own Time
For a more professional way to say “when you get a chance,” try “in your own time.”
This is an excellent way to show that you’d like someone to get a task done quickly.
It works well when writing to a coworker. For instance, you might be working on the same project.
This phrase is polite and respectful. It also shows that you don’t think you’re better than your coworker, and you’d like them to get a task done as quickly as their schedule allows without being bossy.
Here’s a helpful example to give you more information about using it:
Dear Missy,
Please complete this part of the project in your own time.
I’m excited to see what you get from it as we continue on.
Yours,
Barry Moore
5. When You Find a Spare Moment
Next, you can use “when you find a spare moment.”
Of course, most of us have busy working lives. So, it can be tricky to find a “spare moment” that will allow us to do certain things.
Nevertheless, you can always use a phrase like this to be respectful and clear.
It’s an excellent way to talk to an applicant. If you need something more from them before you can finalize their application, this phrase might work a charm.
You can also review the following example to learn a bit more about it:
Dear Harold,
Please attach your portfolio when you find a spare moment.
I’d like to add it to your application to let my team know more about you.
Yours,
Rachael Messing
6. When It’s Convenient for You
You can be formal and direct by using “when it’s convenient for you.”
Generally, this is a great way to encourage someone to do a task for you. It’s not bossy at all.
Instead, it’s polite and direct. So, it’s worth using this when writing to a student about an assignment.
It shows that you appreciate they might not have much time. So, you’d like them to work around their current schedule and get on top of something as soon as they’re able.
You can also review this example to learn more about how it works:
Dear Thomas,
Please complete the final part of the assignment when it’s convenient for you.
I’d love to see what you think about the themes.
Yours,
Charles Tanner
7. As Time Permits
Also, it might be worth using “as time permits.” It’s another way to say “when you get a chance” that suggests you’re happy to wait for someone’s schedule to be less busy.
Generally, this works well when contacting a client.
It shows you don’t know much about their schedule, but you don’t want to rush them.
Overall, the phrase is respectful and polite. So, you really can’t go wrong when including it.
Feel free to review this example if you still need a bit of guidance:
Dear Ms. Abbey,
Please respond to my original query as time permits.
I’d certainly like to hear your thoughts regarding these changes.
Best wishes,
Joanna Bleak
8. When You’re Able To
For something a bit more conversational, it might be smart to write “when you’re able to.”
This phrase works really well when writing to a teammate. If you don’t want to boss them around, then this phrase suggests you’re happy to work around their schedule.
It’s respectful and direct. Therefore, you can make it clear to someone that you need a task done, even if you’re not giving them an exact deadline to complete it.
If you still need help, it might be worth reviewing this example:
Dear Evie,
When you’re able to, it would help the team if you could complete your part.
Then, we can start thinking about what we want to get done next.
Best wishes,
Jonathan Wood
9. When You’re Free
Finally, you can use “when you’re free” in your formal emails.
It’s a useful synonym that shows you’re happy to wait for someone to make time for you.
It works well when contacting an employee.
You may want to use it when you’d like to book them in for a meeting. After all, it shows that you’re happy to work around their schedule and let them complete important tasks before taking them away from their work.
Also, it’s worth reviewing this example to learn a bit more about how it can work:
Dear Damian,
I’d like to talk to you more about this when you’re free.
Please let me know as soon as your schedule frees up, and you can meet with me.
Best wishes,
Samantha Rogers