The phrase “no rush, but” is, in its most common usage, a complete and deliberate lie. Specifically, it is a lie that the speaker requires you to accept in order to maintain the social contract of the workplace.
There is always a rush. The “but” confirms this. “No rush, but” is a sentence that begins with its own refutation.
A Brief History
The phrase appears in workplace communication records as early as the 1990s, though its current form — deployed via email, Slack, and occasionally spoken aloud by a manager with their coat on — crystallized sometime around 2018. Our data suggests a strong correlation with the rise of remote work and the corresponding increase in asynchronous deniability.
When you cannot see someone, you cannot read their face. And without a face to read, “no rush, but” can be deployed with impunity.
Our recommendation: when you receive a “no rush, but,” treat it as you would any other deadline. Add one business day for emotional processing, then act as if it was marked urgent. You will almost always be correct.
