Doing something right before you need it - expression for this?
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Is there an expression that means doing something right before you will need it rather than doing it in case you might need it?
I am not sure if there's such an expression. Sometimes, people do a lot of things in advance and it turns out that 90% of what they decided to do will never have any use to them, and there are some efficient people who only do what's necessary. Is there a word for the philosophy or manner of behaving of the people in the latter example?
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Is there an expression that means doing something right before you will need it rather than doing it in case you might need it?
I am not sure if there's such an expression. Sometimes, people do a lot of things in advance and it turns out that 90% of what they decided to do will never have any use to them, and there are some efficient people who only do what's necessary. Is there a word for the philosophy or manner of behaving of the people in the latter example?
word-request
add a comment |
Is there an expression that means doing something right before you will need it rather than doing it in case you might need it?
I am not sure if there's such an expression. Sometimes, people do a lot of things in advance and it turns out that 90% of what they decided to do will never have any use to them, and there are some efficient people who only do what's necessary. Is there a word for the philosophy or manner of behaving of the people in the latter example?
word-request
Is there an expression that means doing something right before you will need it rather than doing it in case you might need it?
I am not sure if there's such an expression. Sometimes, people do a lot of things in advance and it turns out that 90% of what they decided to do will never have any use to them, and there are some efficient people who only do what's necessary. Is there a word for the philosophy or manner of behaving of the people in the latter example?
word-request
word-request
edited 6 hours ago
J.R.♦
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asked 2 days ago
frbsfokfrbsfok
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How about the term "just-in-time?" It is used in the context of manufacturing. For example, it describes a factory manufacturing system where the raw materials are brought in as they are needed.
https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=just-in-time&oldid=45591851
Example: "Acme Widget Manufacturing uses a just-in-time inventory system in their factories."
Perhaps you could adapt it to your own needs.
1
Just-in-case versus just-in-time. A nice illustration of two different uses of 'just'!
– AakashM
yesterday
5
‘Just-in-time’ is what sprang to my mind, too. It's also used in computing: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-in-time_compilation
– gidds
yesterday
1
"Just in time" is widely understood, but in situations were many people are working together this has been formalized in to a system known by its Japanese name Kanban. This has the dual objectives of making sure things are not done before they are required, and also that things that are required are done right, so there are no delays caused by fixing problems discovered later.
– alephzero
yesterday
add a comment |
On-demand can be used to describe an action performed or service provided only when known to be needed. Contrast with something that is done provisionally, which would be done just in case it is needed.
Consider the on-demand printing of books, or the on-demand provisioning of computing resources, both of which are specifically intended to delay some (potentially expensive) action until there is no doubt it is needed.
New contributor
add a comment |
Here are three related Extreme Programming practices. They avoid doing unnecessary work now, so that you can have a useful thing both now and later:
- "You ain't gonna need it", or
"You aren't gonna need it." - If you do need it,
Do the simplest thing that could possibly work. - The three rules of optimization:
- Don't.
- Not yet.
- Use a profiler.
"Yagni" is an acronym for the first concept, which means:
"Always implement things when you actually need them,
never when you just foresee that you need them."
Even if you're totally, totally, totally sure that you'll need a feature later on, don't implement it now. Usually, it'll turn out either
a) you don't need it after all, or
b) what you actually need is quite different from what you foresaw needing earlier.
This doesn't mean you should avoid building flexibility into your code. It means you shouldn't over-engineer something based on what you think you might need later on.
This also follows the KISS principle:
Keep it simple, stupid!
The page goes on to put this practice in the context of Extreme Programming's other practices. It quotes Kent Beck as writing,
"You aren't gonna need it" is not the same as forgetting experience, acting stupid, or abandoning morals. It is a challenge to developers to abandon their fears of a far-flung future that may never happen and do an absolutely stellar job of solving today's problems today.
see also: premature optimization
– qwr
yesterday
add a comment |
Perhaps the terms you want are pro-active and reactive?
I remember a TV ad campaign from many years ago where the issue of preventative maintenance was addressed. A mechanic in a garage is addressing the audience and mentions a customer who had a loose bolt holding the muffler on his car who didn't do anything about it; eventually, the muffler fell off. The customer paid a lot more to replace his muffler than he would have had to pay to get the bolt tightened. The mechanic's final line was "You can pay me now or you can pay me later...."
That's not QUITE the same thing as the original question was asking - a loose bolt will inevitably lead to a muffler falling off whereas the work the pro-active person does in the original question will NOT necessarily prevent ANY problem - but it's in the same territory.
Hmm. Maybe instead of pro-active, a better word might be anticipatory. The anticipatory person wants to be ready for any contingency, even if the odds of that contingency happening is very slight. The reactive person doesn't want to waste a lot of time on what ifs so they just react when and if a problem does occur.
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I'm not aware of a precise, unambiguous term for it. As the other answers show, there are terms for certain contexts, but nothing general.
Personally, I would go with pragmatic vs prepared.
A person that is pragmatic about his or her work will do what is necessary and avoid doing things that might not be needed, while someone who is prepared about his or her work will do things in advance on the chance that they might be needed in the future.
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In programming you would call this lazy. For example, lazy evaluation of an expression means you will only evaluate the expression if and when it's needed.
The word lazy has a negative connotation, so it might not be suitable in other cases.
New contributor
Technically, "lazy" is "right when you need it" whereas OP asked for "right before you need it".
– kubanczyk
10 hours ago
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Both parties have planned their time in advance, the only difference is that the first party has planned everything whether it is important and necessary to them or not, while the second party has planned only the substantial and needed things. This all leads me to think of the verb "prioritize" which means:
To decide which of a group of things are the most important so that you can deal with them first.
Cambridge Dictionary
It is an expression that is very common to use when dealing with time. So, in order to use your time effectively as much as possible, you should prioritize your work.
- Prioritizing has never been a last minute thing to do; thus it has implicitly the indication and meaning of planning your time beforehand productively.
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Some good answers so far, but I'll also submit:
At need: only doing something when it's necessary to do so. (This is a little bit uncommon in everyday, U.S. English, and will probably read as formal).
We have our set of reports that we write each month, but we also have some that are produced at need.
There are lots of variations on this which you might encounter, like as necessary. Jasper pointed out in comments a couple more, including when needed and as needed, the latter of which especially is very commonly heard.
3
"As needed" and "when needed" are two common variations.
– Jasper
yesterday
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Doing something at the last minute is another common expression.
Packing for a trip, "I'm going to leave the snacks in the fridge until the last minute so they don't spoil."
A teacher might warn a student "This project will require a lot of time; don't leave it to the last minute."
When used as part of the larger expression doing everything at the last minute, it implies the subject is lazy, unmotivated, overworked or otherwise struggling to meet objectives.
New contributor
I've even heard people describe doing something "lastminute.com", after the website!
– drkvogel
12 hours ago
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One informal expression which I think comes pretty close is doing things "on the hoof". However, it seems to be chiefly a British expression. Here's a definition from Collins via thefreedictionary.
- If you do something on the hoof, you do it as a quick reaction to something that has happened, rather than planning it carefully. They claimed that policy was being made on the hoof. In that situation, you have to make decisions on the hoof.
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Depending on what you're doing, this idiom might be useful:
We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
an expression that means you will not worry about a possible future problem but will deal with it if it happens - Cambridge Dictionary.
Essentially, you don't put in time or effort into (or worry about) a possibility, until you're actually at a stage where the possibility is nearly a certainty.
1
May also be said as "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
– Anthony Grist
15 hours ago
1
This is probably the most idiomatic, in British English at least, in the form suggested by @AnthonyGrist: "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." - depending on the context. It would be used when making a decision as to whether to do something now or when the need arises. One might then say: "Let's cross that bridge when we come to it".
– drkvogel
12 hours ago
Noted, though I have personally seen "get to it" more often, which might be an Indian English thing.
– muru
11 hours ago
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Deadline-driven (vs. task-driven).
We're looking for long answers that provide some explanation and context. Don't just give a one-line answer; explain why your answer is right, ideally with citations. Answers that don't include explanations may be removed.
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I believe this is a phenomenon c
known as "planning."
I am not familiar with the nuances of the event, but I understand those who observe experience a lower degree of stress than Master Procrastinators.
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Welcome to ELL. This is a site for folks learning English as a foreign language. Jokes that pretend like they're answering the question aren't really that helpful, especially since a lot of the tone can get "lost in translation". You may want to take the tour to learn more about how this site works - it's a bit different from other sites.
– ColleenV♦
11 hours ago
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Doing something "At the eleventh hour".
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Solving problems "on the fly".
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How about the term "just-in-time?" It is used in the context of manufacturing. For example, it describes a factory manufacturing system where the raw materials are brought in as they are needed.
https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=just-in-time&oldid=45591851
Example: "Acme Widget Manufacturing uses a just-in-time inventory system in their factories."
Perhaps you could adapt it to your own needs.
1
Just-in-case versus just-in-time. A nice illustration of two different uses of 'just'!
– AakashM
yesterday
5
‘Just-in-time’ is what sprang to my mind, too. It's also used in computing: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-in-time_compilation
– gidds
yesterday
1
"Just in time" is widely understood, but in situations were many people are working together this has been formalized in to a system known by its Japanese name Kanban. This has the dual objectives of making sure things are not done before they are required, and also that things that are required are done right, so there are no delays caused by fixing problems discovered later.
– alephzero
yesterday
add a comment |
How about the term "just-in-time?" It is used in the context of manufacturing. For example, it describes a factory manufacturing system where the raw materials are brought in as they are needed.
https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=just-in-time&oldid=45591851
Example: "Acme Widget Manufacturing uses a just-in-time inventory system in their factories."
Perhaps you could adapt it to your own needs.
1
Just-in-case versus just-in-time. A nice illustration of two different uses of 'just'!
– AakashM
yesterday
5
‘Just-in-time’ is what sprang to my mind, too. It's also used in computing: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-in-time_compilation
– gidds
yesterday
1
"Just in time" is widely understood, but in situations were many people are working together this has been formalized in to a system known by its Japanese name Kanban. This has the dual objectives of making sure things are not done before they are required, and also that things that are required are done right, so there are no delays caused by fixing problems discovered later.
– alephzero
yesterday
add a comment |
How about the term "just-in-time?" It is used in the context of manufacturing. For example, it describes a factory manufacturing system where the raw materials are brought in as they are needed.
https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=just-in-time&oldid=45591851
Example: "Acme Widget Manufacturing uses a just-in-time inventory system in their factories."
Perhaps you could adapt it to your own needs.
How about the term "just-in-time?" It is used in the context of manufacturing. For example, it describes a factory manufacturing system where the raw materials are brought in as they are needed.
https://en.wiktionary.org/w/index.php?title=just-in-time&oldid=45591851
Example: "Acme Widget Manufacturing uses a just-in-time inventory system in their factories."
Perhaps you could adapt it to your own needs.
edited 2 days ago
answered 2 days ago
Don B.Don B.
1,473312
1,473312
1
Just-in-case versus just-in-time. A nice illustration of two different uses of 'just'!
– AakashM
yesterday
5
‘Just-in-time’ is what sprang to my mind, too. It's also used in computing: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-in-time_compilation
– gidds
yesterday
1
"Just in time" is widely understood, but in situations were many people are working together this has been formalized in to a system known by its Japanese name Kanban. This has the dual objectives of making sure things are not done before they are required, and also that things that are required are done right, so there are no delays caused by fixing problems discovered later.
– alephzero
yesterday
add a comment |
1
Just-in-case versus just-in-time. A nice illustration of two different uses of 'just'!
– AakashM
yesterday
5
‘Just-in-time’ is what sprang to my mind, too. It's also used in computing: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-in-time_compilation
– gidds
yesterday
1
"Just in time" is widely understood, but in situations were many people are working together this has been formalized in to a system known by its Japanese name Kanban. This has the dual objectives of making sure things are not done before they are required, and also that things that are required are done right, so there are no delays caused by fixing problems discovered later.
– alephzero
yesterday
1
1
Just-in-case versus just-in-time. A nice illustration of two different uses of 'just'!
– AakashM
yesterday
Just-in-case versus just-in-time. A nice illustration of two different uses of 'just'!
– AakashM
yesterday
5
5
‘Just-in-time’ is what sprang to my mind, too. It's also used in computing: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-in-time_compilation
– gidds
yesterday
‘Just-in-time’ is what sprang to my mind, too. It's also used in computing: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just-in-time_compilation
– gidds
yesterday
1
1
"Just in time" is widely understood, but in situations were many people are working together this has been formalized in to a system known by its Japanese name Kanban. This has the dual objectives of making sure things are not done before they are required, and also that things that are required are done right, so there are no delays caused by fixing problems discovered later.
– alephzero
yesterday
"Just in time" is widely understood, but in situations were many people are working together this has been formalized in to a system known by its Japanese name Kanban. This has the dual objectives of making sure things are not done before they are required, and also that things that are required are done right, so there are no delays caused by fixing problems discovered later.
– alephzero
yesterday
add a comment |
On-demand can be used to describe an action performed or service provided only when known to be needed. Contrast with something that is done provisionally, which would be done just in case it is needed.
Consider the on-demand printing of books, or the on-demand provisioning of computing resources, both of which are specifically intended to delay some (potentially expensive) action until there is no doubt it is needed.
New contributor
add a comment |
On-demand can be used to describe an action performed or service provided only when known to be needed. Contrast with something that is done provisionally, which would be done just in case it is needed.
Consider the on-demand printing of books, or the on-demand provisioning of computing resources, both of which are specifically intended to delay some (potentially expensive) action until there is no doubt it is needed.
New contributor
add a comment |
On-demand can be used to describe an action performed or service provided only when known to be needed. Contrast with something that is done provisionally, which would be done just in case it is needed.
Consider the on-demand printing of books, or the on-demand provisioning of computing resources, both of which are specifically intended to delay some (potentially expensive) action until there is no doubt it is needed.
New contributor
On-demand can be used to describe an action performed or service provided only when known to be needed. Contrast with something that is done provisionally, which would be done just in case it is needed.
Consider the on-demand printing of books, or the on-demand provisioning of computing resources, both of which are specifically intended to delay some (potentially expensive) action until there is no doubt it is needed.
New contributor
New contributor
answered yesterday
Myk WillisMyk Willis
2312
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Here are three related Extreme Programming practices. They avoid doing unnecessary work now, so that you can have a useful thing both now and later:
- "You ain't gonna need it", or
"You aren't gonna need it." - If you do need it,
Do the simplest thing that could possibly work. - The three rules of optimization:
- Don't.
- Not yet.
- Use a profiler.
"Yagni" is an acronym for the first concept, which means:
"Always implement things when you actually need them,
never when you just foresee that you need them."
Even if you're totally, totally, totally sure that you'll need a feature later on, don't implement it now. Usually, it'll turn out either
a) you don't need it after all, or
b) what you actually need is quite different from what you foresaw needing earlier.
This doesn't mean you should avoid building flexibility into your code. It means you shouldn't over-engineer something based on what you think you might need later on.
This also follows the KISS principle:
Keep it simple, stupid!
The page goes on to put this practice in the context of Extreme Programming's other practices. It quotes Kent Beck as writing,
"You aren't gonna need it" is not the same as forgetting experience, acting stupid, or abandoning morals. It is a challenge to developers to abandon their fears of a far-flung future that may never happen and do an absolutely stellar job of solving today's problems today.
see also: premature optimization
– qwr
yesterday
add a comment |
Here are three related Extreme Programming practices. They avoid doing unnecessary work now, so that you can have a useful thing both now and later:
- "You ain't gonna need it", or
"You aren't gonna need it." - If you do need it,
Do the simplest thing that could possibly work. - The three rules of optimization:
- Don't.
- Not yet.
- Use a profiler.
"Yagni" is an acronym for the first concept, which means:
"Always implement things when you actually need them,
never when you just foresee that you need them."
Even if you're totally, totally, totally sure that you'll need a feature later on, don't implement it now. Usually, it'll turn out either
a) you don't need it after all, or
b) what you actually need is quite different from what you foresaw needing earlier.
This doesn't mean you should avoid building flexibility into your code. It means you shouldn't over-engineer something based on what you think you might need later on.
This also follows the KISS principle:
Keep it simple, stupid!
The page goes on to put this practice in the context of Extreme Programming's other practices. It quotes Kent Beck as writing,
"You aren't gonna need it" is not the same as forgetting experience, acting stupid, or abandoning morals. It is a challenge to developers to abandon their fears of a far-flung future that may never happen and do an absolutely stellar job of solving today's problems today.
see also: premature optimization
– qwr
yesterday
add a comment |
Here are three related Extreme Programming practices. They avoid doing unnecessary work now, so that you can have a useful thing both now and later:
- "You ain't gonna need it", or
"You aren't gonna need it." - If you do need it,
Do the simplest thing that could possibly work. - The three rules of optimization:
- Don't.
- Not yet.
- Use a profiler.
"Yagni" is an acronym for the first concept, which means:
"Always implement things when you actually need them,
never when you just foresee that you need them."
Even if you're totally, totally, totally sure that you'll need a feature later on, don't implement it now. Usually, it'll turn out either
a) you don't need it after all, or
b) what you actually need is quite different from what you foresaw needing earlier.
This doesn't mean you should avoid building flexibility into your code. It means you shouldn't over-engineer something based on what you think you might need later on.
This also follows the KISS principle:
Keep it simple, stupid!
The page goes on to put this practice in the context of Extreme Programming's other practices. It quotes Kent Beck as writing,
"You aren't gonna need it" is not the same as forgetting experience, acting stupid, or abandoning morals. It is a challenge to developers to abandon their fears of a far-flung future that may never happen and do an absolutely stellar job of solving today's problems today.
Here are three related Extreme Programming practices. They avoid doing unnecessary work now, so that you can have a useful thing both now and later:
- "You ain't gonna need it", or
"You aren't gonna need it." - If you do need it,
Do the simplest thing that could possibly work. - The three rules of optimization:
- Don't.
- Not yet.
- Use a profiler.
"Yagni" is an acronym for the first concept, which means:
"Always implement things when you actually need them,
never when you just foresee that you need them."
Even if you're totally, totally, totally sure that you'll need a feature later on, don't implement it now. Usually, it'll turn out either
a) you don't need it after all, or
b) what you actually need is quite different from what you foresaw needing earlier.
This doesn't mean you should avoid building flexibility into your code. It means you shouldn't over-engineer something based on what you think you might need later on.
This also follows the KISS principle:
Keep it simple, stupid!
The page goes on to put this practice in the context of Extreme Programming's other practices. It quotes Kent Beck as writing,
"You aren't gonna need it" is not the same as forgetting experience, acting stupid, or abandoning morals. It is a challenge to developers to abandon their fears of a far-flung future that may never happen and do an absolutely stellar job of solving today's problems today.
edited yesterday
answered yesterday
JasperJasper
19.4k43872
19.4k43872
see also: premature optimization
– qwr
yesterday
add a comment |
see also: premature optimization
– qwr
yesterday
see also: premature optimization
– qwr
yesterday
see also: premature optimization
– qwr
yesterday
add a comment |
Perhaps the terms you want are pro-active and reactive?
I remember a TV ad campaign from many years ago where the issue of preventative maintenance was addressed. A mechanic in a garage is addressing the audience and mentions a customer who had a loose bolt holding the muffler on his car who didn't do anything about it; eventually, the muffler fell off. The customer paid a lot more to replace his muffler than he would have had to pay to get the bolt tightened. The mechanic's final line was "You can pay me now or you can pay me later...."
That's not QUITE the same thing as the original question was asking - a loose bolt will inevitably lead to a muffler falling off whereas the work the pro-active person does in the original question will NOT necessarily prevent ANY problem - but it's in the same territory.
Hmm. Maybe instead of pro-active, a better word might be anticipatory. The anticipatory person wants to be ready for any contingency, even if the odds of that contingency happening is very slight. The reactive person doesn't want to waste a lot of time on what ifs so they just react when and if a problem does occur.
New contributor
add a comment |
Perhaps the terms you want are pro-active and reactive?
I remember a TV ad campaign from many years ago where the issue of preventative maintenance was addressed. A mechanic in a garage is addressing the audience and mentions a customer who had a loose bolt holding the muffler on his car who didn't do anything about it; eventually, the muffler fell off. The customer paid a lot more to replace his muffler than he would have had to pay to get the bolt tightened. The mechanic's final line was "You can pay me now or you can pay me later...."
That's not QUITE the same thing as the original question was asking - a loose bolt will inevitably lead to a muffler falling off whereas the work the pro-active person does in the original question will NOT necessarily prevent ANY problem - but it's in the same territory.
Hmm. Maybe instead of pro-active, a better word might be anticipatory. The anticipatory person wants to be ready for any contingency, even if the odds of that contingency happening is very slight. The reactive person doesn't want to waste a lot of time on what ifs so they just react when and if a problem does occur.
New contributor
add a comment |
Perhaps the terms you want are pro-active and reactive?
I remember a TV ad campaign from many years ago where the issue of preventative maintenance was addressed. A mechanic in a garage is addressing the audience and mentions a customer who had a loose bolt holding the muffler on his car who didn't do anything about it; eventually, the muffler fell off. The customer paid a lot more to replace his muffler than he would have had to pay to get the bolt tightened. The mechanic's final line was "You can pay me now or you can pay me later...."
That's not QUITE the same thing as the original question was asking - a loose bolt will inevitably lead to a muffler falling off whereas the work the pro-active person does in the original question will NOT necessarily prevent ANY problem - but it's in the same territory.
Hmm. Maybe instead of pro-active, a better word might be anticipatory. The anticipatory person wants to be ready for any contingency, even if the odds of that contingency happening is very slight. The reactive person doesn't want to waste a lot of time on what ifs so they just react when and if a problem does occur.
New contributor
Perhaps the terms you want are pro-active and reactive?
I remember a TV ad campaign from many years ago where the issue of preventative maintenance was addressed. A mechanic in a garage is addressing the audience and mentions a customer who had a loose bolt holding the muffler on his car who didn't do anything about it; eventually, the muffler fell off. The customer paid a lot more to replace his muffler than he would have had to pay to get the bolt tightened. The mechanic's final line was "You can pay me now or you can pay me later...."
That's not QUITE the same thing as the original question was asking - a loose bolt will inevitably lead to a muffler falling off whereas the work the pro-active person does in the original question will NOT necessarily prevent ANY problem - but it's in the same territory.
Hmm. Maybe instead of pro-active, a better word might be anticipatory. The anticipatory person wants to be ready for any contingency, even if the odds of that contingency happening is very slight. The reactive person doesn't want to waste a lot of time on what ifs so they just react when and if a problem does occur.
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New contributor
answered yesterday
HenryHenry
1712
1712
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I'm not aware of a precise, unambiguous term for it. As the other answers show, there are terms for certain contexts, but nothing general.
Personally, I would go with pragmatic vs prepared.
A person that is pragmatic about his or her work will do what is necessary and avoid doing things that might not be needed, while someone who is prepared about his or her work will do things in advance on the chance that they might be needed in the future.
New contributor
add a comment |
I'm not aware of a precise, unambiguous term for it. As the other answers show, there are terms for certain contexts, but nothing general.
Personally, I would go with pragmatic vs prepared.
A person that is pragmatic about his or her work will do what is necessary and avoid doing things that might not be needed, while someone who is prepared about his or her work will do things in advance on the chance that they might be needed in the future.
New contributor
add a comment |
I'm not aware of a precise, unambiguous term for it. As the other answers show, there are terms for certain contexts, but nothing general.
Personally, I would go with pragmatic vs prepared.
A person that is pragmatic about his or her work will do what is necessary and avoid doing things that might not be needed, while someone who is prepared about his or her work will do things in advance on the chance that they might be needed in the future.
New contributor
I'm not aware of a precise, unambiguous term for it. As the other answers show, there are terms for certain contexts, but nothing general.
Personally, I would go with pragmatic vs prepared.
A person that is pragmatic about his or her work will do what is necessary and avoid doing things that might not be needed, while someone who is prepared about his or her work will do things in advance on the chance that they might be needed in the future.
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answered yesterday
MorfildurMorfildur
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In programming you would call this lazy. For example, lazy evaluation of an expression means you will only evaluate the expression if and when it's needed.
The word lazy has a negative connotation, so it might not be suitable in other cases.
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Technically, "lazy" is "right when you need it" whereas OP asked for "right before you need it".
– kubanczyk
10 hours ago
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In programming you would call this lazy. For example, lazy evaluation of an expression means you will only evaluate the expression if and when it's needed.
The word lazy has a negative connotation, so it might not be suitable in other cases.
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Technically, "lazy" is "right when you need it" whereas OP asked for "right before you need it".
– kubanczyk
10 hours ago
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In programming you would call this lazy. For example, lazy evaluation of an expression means you will only evaluate the expression if and when it's needed.
The word lazy has a negative connotation, so it might not be suitable in other cases.
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In programming you would call this lazy. For example, lazy evaluation of an expression means you will only evaluate the expression if and when it's needed.
The word lazy has a negative connotation, so it might not be suitable in other cases.
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edited 15 hours ago
ikegami
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answered yesterday
JesseJesse
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Technically, "lazy" is "right when you need it" whereas OP asked for "right before you need it".
– kubanczyk
10 hours ago
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Technically, "lazy" is "right when you need it" whereas OP asked for "right before you need it".
– kubanczyk
10 hours ago
Technically, "lazy" is "right when you need it" whereas OP asked for "right before you need it".
– kubanczyk
10 hours ago
Technically, "lazy" is "right when you need it" whereas OP asked for "right before you need it".
– kubanczyk
10 hours ago
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Both parties have planned their time in advance, the only difference is that the first party has planned everything whether it is important and necessary to them or not, while the second party has planned only the substantial and needed things. This all leads me to think of the verb "prioritize" which means:
To decide which of a group of things are the most important so that you can deal with them first.
Cambridge Dictionary
It is an expression that is very common to use when dealing with time. So, in order to use your time effectively as much as possible, you should prioritize your work.
- Prioritizing has never been a last minute thing to do; thus it has implicitly the indication and meaning of planning your time beforehand productively.
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Both parties have planned their time in advance, the only difference is that the first party has planned everything whether it is important and necessary to them or not, while the second party has planned only the substantial and needed things. This all leads me to think of the verb "prioritize" which means:
To decide which of a group of things are the most important so that you can deal with them first.
Cambridge Dictionary
It is an expression that is very common to use when dealing with time. So, in order to use your time effectively as much as possible, you should prioritize your work.
- Prioritizing has never been a last minute thing to do; thus it has implicitly the indication and meaning of planning your time beforehand productively.
add a comment |
Both parties have planned their time in advance, the only difference is that the first party has planned everything whether it is important and necessary to them or not, while the second party has planned only the substantial and needed things. This all leads me to think of the verb "prioritize" which means:
To decide which of a group of things are the most important so that you can deal with them first.
Cambridge Dictionary
It is an expression that is very common to use when dealing with time. So, in order to use your time effectively as much as possible, you should prioritize your work.
- Prioritizing has never been a last minute thing to do; thus it has implicitly the indication and meaning of planning your time beforehand productively.
Both parties have planned their time in advance, the only difference is that the first party has planned everything whether it is important and necessary to them or not, while the second party has planned only the substantial and needed things. This all leads me to think of the verb "prioritize" which means:
To decide which of a group of things are the most important so that you can deal with them first.
Cambridge Dictionary
It is an expression that is very common to use when dealing with time. So, in order to use your time effectively as much as possible, you should prioritize your work.
- Prioritizing has never been a last minute thing to do; thus it has implicitly the indication and meaning of planning your time beforehand productively.
answered yesterday
Tasneem ZHTasneem ZH
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Some good answers so far, but I'll also submit:
At need: only doing something when it's necessary to do so. (This is a little bit uncommon in everyday, U.S. English, and will probably read as formal).
We have our set of reports that we write each month, but we also have some that are produced at need.
There are lots of variations on this which you might encounter, like as necessary. Jasper pointed out in comments a couple more, including when needed and as needed, the latter of which especially is very commonly heard.
3
"As needed" and "when needed" are two common variations.
– Jasper
yesterday
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Some good answers so far, but I'll also submit:
At need: only doing something when it's necessary to do so. (This is a little bit uncommon in everyday, U.S. English, and will probably read as formal).
We have our set of reports that we write each month, but we also have some that are produced at need.
There are lots of variations on this which you might encounter, like as necessary. Jasper pointed out in comments a couple more, including when needed and as needed, the latter of which especially is very commonly heard.
3
"As needed" and "when needed" are two common variations.
– Jasper
yesterday
add a comment |
Some good answers so far, but I'll also submit:
At need: only doing something when it's necessary to do so. (This is a little bit uncommon in everyday, U.S. English, and will probably read as formal).
We have our set of reports that we write each month, but we also have some that are produced at need.
There are lots of variations on this which you might encounter, like as necessary. Jasper pointed out in comments a couple more, including when needed and as needed, the latter of which especially is very commonly heard.
Some good answers so far, but I'll also submit:
At need: only doing something when it's necessary to do so. (This is a little bit uncommon in everyday, U.S. English, and will probably read as formal).
We have our set of reports that we write each month, but we also have some that are produced at need.
There are lots of variations on this which you might encounter, like as necessary. Jasper pointed out in comments a couple more, including when needed and as needed, the latter of which especially is very commonly heard.
edited yesterday
answered yesterday
Upper_CaseUpper_Case
1,14526
1,14526
3
"As needed" and "when needed" are two common variations.
– Jasper
yesterday
add a comment |
3
"As needed" and "when needed" are two common variations.
– Jasper
yesterday
3
3
"As needed" and "when needed" are two common variations.
– Jasper
yesterday
"As needed" and "when needed" are two common variations.
– Jasper
yesterday
add a comment |
Doing something at the last minute is another common expression.
Packing for a trip, "I'm going to leave the snacks in the fridge until the last minute so they don't spoil."
A teacher might warn a student "This project will require a lot of time; don't leave it to the last minute."
When used as part of the larger expression doing everything at the last minute, it implies the subject is lazy, unmotivated, overworked or otherwise struggling to meet objectives.
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I've even heard people describe doing something "lastminute.com", after the website!
– drkvogel
12 hours ago
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Doing something at the last minute is another common expression.
Packing for a trip, "I'm going to leave the snacks in the fridge until the last minute so they don't spoil."
A teacher might warn a student "This project will require a lot of time; don't leave it to the last minute."
When used as part of the larger expression doing everything at the last minute, it implies the subject is lazy, unmotivated, overworked or otherwise struggling to meet objectives.
New contributor
I've even heard people describe doing something "lastminute.com", after the website!
– drkvogel
12 hours ago
add a comment |
Doing something at the last minute is another common expression.
Packing for a trip, "I'm going to leave the snacks in the fridge until the last minute so they don't spoil."
A teacher might warn a student "This project will require a lot of time; don't leave it to the last minute."
When used as part of the larger expression doing everything at the last minute, it implies the subject is lazy, unmotivated, overworked or otherwise struggling to meet objectives.
New contributor
Doing something at the last minute is another common expression.
Packing for a trip, "I'm going to leave the snacks in the fridge until the last minute so they don't spoil."
A teacher might warn a student "This project will require a lot of time; don't leave it to the last minute."
When used as part of the larger expression doing everything at the last minute, it implies the subject is lazy, unmotivated, overworked or otherwise struggling to meet objectives.
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edited yesterday
New contributor
answered yesterday
ikegamiikegami
1434
1434
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I've even heard people describe doing something "lastminute.com", after the website!
– drkvogel
12 hours ago
add a comment |
I've even heard people describe doing something "lastminute.com", after the website!
– drkvogel
12 hours ago
I've even heard people describe doing something "lastminute.com", after the website!
– drkvogel
12 hours ago
I've even heard people describe doing something "lastminute.com", after the website!
– drkvogel
12 hours ago
add a comment |
One informal expression which I think comes pretty close is doing things "on the hoof". However, it seems to be chiefly a British expression. Here's a definition from Collins via thefreedictionary.
- If you do something on the hoof, you do it as a quick reaction to something that has happened, rather than planning it carefully. They claimed that policy was being made on the hoof. In that situation, you have to make decisions on the hoof.
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One informal expression which I think comes pretty close is doing things "on the hoof". However, it seems to be chiefly a British expression. Here's a definition from Collins via thefreedictionary.
- If you do something on the hoof, you do it as a quick reaction to something that has happened, rather than planning it carefully. They claimed that policy was being made on the hoof. In that situation, you have to make decisions on the hoof.
add a comment |
One informal expression which I think comes pretty close is doing things "on the hoof". However, it seems to be chiefly a British expression. Here's a definition from Collins via thefreedictionary.
- If you do something on the hoof, you do it as a quick reaction to something that has happened, rather than planning it carefully. They claimed that policy was being made on the hoof. In that situation, you have to make decisions on the hoof.
One informal expression which I think comes pretty close is doing things "on the hoof". However, it seems to be chiefly a British expression. Here's a definition from Collins via thefreedictionary.
- If you do something on the hoof, you do it as a quick reaction to something that has happened, rather than planning it carefully. They claimed that policy was being made on the hoof. In that situation, you have to make decisions on the hoof.
answered yesterday
Especially LimeEspecially Lime
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Depending on what you're doing, this idiom might be useful:
We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
an expression that means you will not worry about a possible future problem but will deal with it if it happens - Cambridge Dictionary.
Essentially, you don't put in time or effort into (or worry about) a possibility, until you're actually at a stage where the possibility is nearly a certainty.
1
May also be said as "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
– Anthony Grist
15 hours ago
1
This is probably the most idiomatic, in British English at least, in the form suggested by @AnthonyGrist: "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." - depending on the context. It would be used when making a decision as to whether to do something now or when the need arises. One might then say: "Let's cross that bridge when we come to it".
– drkvogel
12 hours ago
Noted, though I have personally seen "get to it" more often, which might be an Indian English thing.
– muru
11 hours ago
add a comment |
Depending on what you're doing, this idiom might be useful:
We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
an expression that means you will not worry about a possible future problem but will deal with it if it happens - Cambridge Dictionary.
Essentially, you don't put in time or effort into (or worry about) a possibility, until you're actually at a stage where the possibility is nearly a certainty.
1
May also be said as "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
– Anthony Grist
15 hours ago
1
This is probably the most idiomatic, in British English at least, in the form suggested by @AnthonyGrist: "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." - depending on the context. It would be used when making a decision as to whether to do something now or when the need arises. One might then say: "Let's cross that bridge when we come to it".
– drkvogel
12 hours ago
Noted, though I have personally seen "get to it" more often, which might be an Indian English thing.
– muru
11 hours ago
add a comment |
Depending on what you're doing, this idiom might be useful:
We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
an expression that means you will not worry about a possible future problem but will deal with it if it happens - Cambridge Dictionary.
Essentially, you don't put in time or effort into (or worry about) a possibility, until you're actually at a stage where the possibility is nearly a certainty.
Depending on what you're doing, this idiom might be useful:
We'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
an expression that means you will not worry about a possible future problem but will deal with it if it happens - Cambridge Dictionary.
Essentially, you don't put in time or effort into (or worry about) a possibility, until you're actually at a stage where the possibility is nearly a certainty.
edited 11 hours ago
answered 17 hours ago
murumuru
34729
34729
1
May also be said as "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
– Anthony Grist
15 hours ago
1
This is probably the most idiomatic, in British English at least, in the form suggested by @AnthonyGrist: "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." - depending on the context. It would be used when making a decision as to whether to do something now or when the need arises. One might then say: "Let's cross that bridge when we come to it".
– drkvogel
12 hours ago
Noted, though I have personally seen "get to it" more often, which might be an Indian English thing.
– muru
11 hours ago
add a comment |
1
May also be said as "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
– Anthony Grist
15 hours ago
1
This is probably the most idiomatic, in British English at least, in the form suggested by @AnthonyGrist: "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." - depending on the context. It would be used when making a decision as to whether to do something now or when the need arises. One might then say: "Let's cross that bridge when we come to it".
– drkvogel
12 hours ago
Noted, though I have personally seen "get to it" more often, which might be an Indian English thing.
– muru
11 hours ago
1
1
May also be said as "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
– Anthony Grist
15 hours ago
May also be said as "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
– Anthony Grist
15 hours ago
1
1
This is probably the most idiomatic, in British English at least, in the form suggested by @AnthonyGrist: "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." - depending on the context. It would be used when making a decision as to whether to do something now or when the need arises. One might then say: "Let's cross that bridge when we come to it".
– drkvogel
12 hours ago
This is probably the most idiomatic, in British English at least, in the form suggested by @AnthonyGrist: "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." - depending on the context. It would be used when making a decision as to whether to do something now or when the need arises. One might then say: "Let's cross that bridge when we come to it".
– drkvogel
12 hours ago
Noted, though I have personally seen "get to it" more often, which might be an Indian English thing.
– muru
11 hours ago
Noted, though I have personally seen "get to it" more often, which might be an Indian English thing.
– muru
11 hours ago
add a comment |
Deadline-driven (vs. task-driven).
We're looking for long answers that provide some explanation and context. Don't just give a one-line answer; explain why your answer is right, ideally with citations. Answers that don't include explanations may be removed.
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Deadline-driven (vs. task-driven).
We're looking for long answers that provide some explanation and context. Don't just give a one-line answer; explain why your answer is right, ideally with citations. Answers that don't include explanations may be removed.
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Deadline-driven (vs. task-driven).
Deadline-driven (vs. task-driven).
answered yesterday
paw88789paw88789
2792
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We're looking for long answers that provide some explanation and context. Don't just give a one-line answer; explain why your answer is right, ideally with citations. Answers that don't include explanations may be removed.
We're looking for long answers that provide some explanation and context. Don't just give a one-line answer; explain why your answer is right, ideally with citations. Answers that don't include explanations may be removed.
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I believe this is a phenomenon c
known as "planning."
I am not familiar with the nuances of the event, but I understand those who observe experience a lower degree of stress than Master Procrastinators.
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1
Welcome to ELL. This is a site for folks learning English as a foreign language. Jokes that pretend like they're answering the question aren't really that helpful, especially since a lot of the tone can get "lost in translation". You may want to take the tour to learn more about how this site works - it's a bit different from other sites.
– ColleenV♦
11 hours ago
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I believe this is a phenomenon c
known as "planning."
I am not familiar with the nuances of the event, but I understand those who observe experience a lower degree of stress than Master Procrastinators.
New contributor
1
Welcome to ELL. This is a site for folks learning English as a foreign language. Jokes that pretend like they're answering the question aren't really that helpful, especially since a lot of the tone can get "lost in translation". You may want to take the tour to learn more about how this site works - it's a bit different from other sites.
– ColleenV♦
11 hours ago
add a comment |
I believe this is a phenomenon c
known as "planning."
I am not familiar with the nuances of the event, but I understand those who observe experience a lower degree of stress than Master Procrastinators.
New contributor
I believe this is a phenomenon c
known as "planning."
I am not familiar with the nuances of the event, but I understand those who observe experience a lower degree of stress than Master Procrastinators.
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answered 23 hours ago
Paige OWENS-SCPaige OWENS-SC
1
1
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1
Welcome to ELL. This is a site for folks learning English as a foreign language. Jokes that pretend like they're answering the question aren't really that helpful, especially since a lot of the tone can get "lost in translation". You may want to take the tour to learn more about how this site works - it's a bit different from other sites.
– ColleenV♦
11 hours ago
add a comment |
1
Welcome to ELL. This is a site for folks learning English as a foreign language. Jokes that pretend like they're answering the question aren't really that helpful, especially since a lot of the tone can get "lost in translation". You may want to take the tour to learn more about how this site works - it's a bit different from other sites.
– ColleenV♦
11 hours ago
1
1
Welcome to ELL. This is a site for folks learning English as a foreign language. Jokes that pretend like they're answering the question aren't really that helpful, especially since a lot of the tone can get "lost in translation". You may want to take the tour to learn more about how this site works - it's a bit different from other sites.
– ColleenV♦
11 hours ago
Welcome to ELL. This is a site for folks learning English as a foreign language. Jokes that pretend like they're answering the question aren't really that helpful, especially since a lot of the tone can get "lost in translation". You may want to take the tour to learn more about how this site works - it's a bit different from other sites.
– ColleenV♦
11 hours ago
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Doing something "At the eleventh hour".
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Doing something "At the eleventh hour".
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Doing something "At the eleventh hour".
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Doing something "At the eleventh hour".
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answered 1 hour ago
RocketManRocketMan
1
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We're looking for long answers that provide some explanation and context. Don't just give a one-line answer; explain why your answer is right, ideally with citations. Answers that don't include explanations may be removed.
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Solving problems "on the fly".
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Solving problems "on the fly".
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Solving problems "on the fly".
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Solving problems "on the fly".
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answered 1 hour ago
RocketManRocketMan
1
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We're looking for long answers that provide some explanation and context. Don't just give a one-line answer; explain why your answer is right, ideally with citations. Answers that don't include explanations may be removed.
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