Do you value your time in the workplace?
Are you also able to show coworkers that you respect their time?
This is can either make or break connections at work.
Listen to today’s episode to learn how to talk about time in the business world.
Need to kill time?
Michelle asks Lindsay if she has ever needed to kill time during a meeting.
Lindsay responds that she doesn’t usually kill time in meetings because everything being discussed is important.
She would not attend a meeting where she’d have to kill time.
The phrase ‘kill time’ means filling wasted time while waiting on something.
This can happen in numerous scenarios, like meetings, presentations, and other work situations.
Today’s episode will focus on different phrases and expressions that refer to time in the workplace.
You can check out similar episodes that give you different work vocabulary.
For example, BE 264: What is Skiplagging and Why You Should Avoid It where you learn what ‘skiplagging’ means.
Time expressions in the workplace
Lindsay and Michelle share expressions to use in either a meeting or a group discussion.
These are extremely useful when talking to work colleagues about time.
#1: Kill time
We often have to kill time when waiting for something to happen.
Though this is more common in our daily lives, it can also happen at work.
Example:
The meeting starts in an hour. Should we kill some time and get a coffee downstairs?
#2: Buy time
This means to put something off until your situation improves.
This entails stalling or delaying in order to have more time.
Example:
He tried to buy time by bringing up the team’s goals for the next year, but the boss caught on and asked him where his project was.
#3: Save time
To ‘save time’ is to do something faster or more efficiently so it is finished it in a shorter period of time.
You will also hear the noun “time saver.”
This is something that saves a lot of time.
Example:
Having a standard place to store our SOPs will ultimately save our team a lot of time.
Favorite phrases
Efficiency is key at work and valuing time will help you improve that.
Lindsay shares that she recently got a second screen in order to work more efficiently.
It has definitely been a time saver for her.
Her intention at All Ears English is to maximize time and do things faster and better.
Michelle agrees and shares how vital it is to find efficient methods in any business.
Roleplay
Lindsay and Michelle use the expressions and phrases shared in today’s episode to show how to discuss time in the workplace.
In this scenario, Lindsay and Michelle are going over procedures for work.
Lindsay: Okay so I guess we should finish this handbook.
Michelle: Yes. Unless you want to buy some time so we can finish it after your vacation.
Lindsay: No it’s okay, thanks.
Michelle: Okay so let’s start with the morning procedures for the new hirees. They should know they shouldn’t hold each other up- they shouldn’t need to kill time. Everything should be ready to go on day one.
Lindsay: Definitely. Oh- if we do this in Google Drive, it might save time.
Michelle: Yes you’re right. Then we can just send it out. I’ll take notes there!
Takeaway
Time is a valuable commodity at work and now you know how to use it in some native phrases.
Definitely try these in the workplace today.
These will make you sound more fluent and more like a native English speaker.
Use these phrases to help your colleagues know you value their time.
Do you feel like your colleagues value your time?
We’d love to hear your story in the comments below.
