Shortly after beginning my first real, professional-lady job out of college, it became apparent that email is the main mode of communication in an office—the language of the workplace, if you will. Face-to-face discussions were rare; most of your day was spent constantly refreshing your inbox for movement on projects, and conversely, getting up from your desk to use the bathroom … only to return to a 600-email explosion.
In this kind of environment, you can’t really help but think of the way people send emails as a kind of personality litmus test. There were those who structured their messages like a letter—very formal and polite. Others would sign their emails with only their first initial—or not at all! This, I thought, was very casual and cool. And then there were those whose entire email would exist in the subject line. For instance, the subject of the email would be “Is 2pm OK for tomorrow’s meeting?” and the body of the email would be left blank. They couldn’t even be bothered to click their mouse into another email field because they were so damn busy! I longed to be that important one day.
At 22, I was one of the youngest people in the office, and I was pretty timid—especially in the email arena. But as an assistant, I had a lot to get done, and I was forced to email a lot of people who I’d never met (and, in some cases, never meet) to get a lot of answers I didn’t have.
Maybe I was feeling insecure about my new job, or insecure about my youth, or just plain insecure, but I felt an incessant need to somehow rationalize all of my email correspondence, especially with more senior-level folk. I developed a bad habit: The overuse of the word “just.”
You see, “just” is a tiny, little, insignificant word that implies that whatever you’re emailing about is, well, tiny and insignificant. Innocuous. Harmless.
“Just” is a word that minimizes whatever follows. And somehow I got it in my head that adding that little “just” in there made whatever request I had smaller, easier to handle, and less of an inconvenience to whoever I was emailing. Basically, it’s another word for “sorry.” For example:
“Just checking in to see what times work for this meeting….”
“Just wondering if you have had a chance to review…”
“Just wanted to see if you had some time to chat about…”
“Just following up to see if you’ve read my last three emails…”
But here’s the thing: starting off an email with “just” demeans what you have to say. “Just” makes it sounds like whatever you’re emailing about needs to be apologized for. And it doesn’t. You don’t need to apologize for doing your job.
After months of “just”-ing my way through work, I realized how loaded this little word was at an after-hours gathering of the office’s assistants. The topic of various emailing styles came up, and one assistant who notoriously sent short, to-the-point, vaguely scary emails explained his method: He didn’t have time for pleasantries, but he wasn’t impolite. He was just doing his job. And guess what? He wasn’t a mean, scary person! On the contrary, he was hilarious and wonderful. But via email especially, he was taken seriously. It dawned on me that anyone could still be a friendly, awesome, warm person and maintain an heir of professionalism and authority in the office. And “just” made me seem meek.
Well, no more. I pledged to cut the word from all my email correspondence.
I won’t lie; it was hard at first. If I sent an email without a “just,” I was worried I sounded aggressive. “Just” was the comfort zone I clung to for fear of sounding too tough, too intense, too mean—basically everything women are conditioned not to be.
To be honest, nothing drastic happened when I finally worked up the courage to let go of «just.» No one was offended; no one said I was curt. But wouldn’t you know it, soon I became one of the people getting emails asking for answers. I wasn’t the new kid on the block anymore, and people trusted me to get things done. I started taking on more responsibilities and working with more people in other departments. People responded to my emails more urgently because my emails sounded more urgent.
Over time, as I stopped saying “just,” I found that I didn’t need it anymore. I felt confident in my own abilities to do my job and determined to do whatever it took to do it well, including talking to people who intimidated me. Was it all because I ditched “just”? I say yes, because doing so forced me to trust in the importance of what I had to say, and I think other people started to, too.
So, I encourage you to remove “just” from your vocabulary. It’s just taking up valuable email space.
The word “just” has become all too comfortable in my vocabulary. It is an undermining word that has no place in the business world. Here’s why I quit using the word just and how I was able to adopt a new email style that made me more direct and task orientated.
At 23, I started my first salary paid, big girl, real-world job, and I was so pumped. However, working in an office of nine I was thrown into my event coordinating role and required to e-mail and build relationships with people I have never met (or never would meet). It was pretty intimidating, honestly. How do I get someone to give me the answers I need when they know nothing about me?
“Just wanted to make sure those meeting times are okay?”
“Just wondering if you were able to get that document?”
“Just checking in to see where you were at with that flyer?“
What do these sentences have in common? They all have the word “just” in there as the first word. It doesn’t matter what follows the word, my statement has already been diminished. It offers an apologetic tone when, like, why?
Coming back to me, 23 and emailing some big-wigs about sponsorships and event logistics, I felt timid and irrelevant. I worked in a non-profit and constantly felt like I had to be at their beck and call and not be in their way in order to get their dollars. Hence I “just”-ed my way through every email.
I think this “just” nonsense stems from my unisex name, Jordan.
I would never change my name. I’ve grown to love (I didn’t like it so much growing up) and I’m actually grateful my parents picked this name for me. After starting up my life in the business world, I realized how many times a day I am referred to as “he”.
This really bothered me for a bit so I would feminize up my voice via e-mail. I would try to include exclamation points, some very carefully placed small jokes or ha-ha’s, and the word “just” in almost every sentence. In order to (hopefully) convey my gender so I would stop getting these emails. Naturally, women are more submissive than men, by being passive maybe they will get the hint that I am a female.
The emails still come addressed “Dear Mr. Nelson,” so clearly my methods aren’t coming off the way I would hope and now all I’m doing is putting a dent in my confident statement. I’ll be pleasant but direct.
If I’m going to be addressed like a man, I might as well type like a man.
In a word (specifically an adverb), just means exactly, very recently, and or in the immediate past.
“I just saw that movie.”
This is an appropriate use of the word just. If we are referring to something that recently occurred. However, feel free to replace the word “just” with the word “recently” if you want to eliminate the word “just” from your vocabulary together,
However, when the task is not to used in this sense it diminishes the importance of my task.
It diminishes the importance of my task.
In the past, when I was asking for a check from someone who has utilized services or made a pledge and it is way past the date they promised to pay I would have asked like this:
“I just wanted to reach out and make sure you got that invoice from March.”
Those first four words in that sentence, to me, say that the matter is not urgent and I hope I’m not inconveniencing you, but I’d like to talk about this.
How I should have phrased it is:
“I wanted to reach out and make sure you got that invoice from March.“
Still kind, still considerate, and still inserting my task I need assistance with.
I stopped using the word just and now I get the answers I need.
People look at my tasks and questions more directly. I demanded a seat at the table via e-mail and I’m not going to make myself seem meek by throwing in a few “just’s.”
There is a distinct difference between the two phrases with only one word eliminated that doesn’t weaken my stance on a matter. No, I’m not sending my entire email in the subject line, but I am being more direct and assertive in my asks and tasks. After “just”-ing my way through my career, I’ve said NO MORE. I’m not writing it in professional manners anymore.
Flash forward two years later and I have developed a completely different email style. I say what I want and when I want it but will also ask how your day is going in the process. There is a human on the other side of that email. Be a human but don’t be a meek human. It’s not personal, its just business.
When writing formal emails, sometimes you will want to be prepared for any scenario. Some things might be unlikely, but you’ll want to express that, just in case, you’re prepared for them. But “just in case” can be taken as an informal phrase, so here are some more formal alternatives.
The preferred alternatives or replacements for “Just in case” are “In case”, “Should” and “Lest”. “In case” is a simplified version of “Just in case” that uses more precise language and is less casual. “Should” and “Lest” are words that can help account for any possibilities, while keeping the sentence brief.
A great first option you can use to replace “Just in case” is simply “In case”. While it’s obviously a very similar expression, “In case” by itself is a lot classier and formal. When you drop the “Just” from “Just in case”, you’re merely preparing for a possibility in a very neutral way.
The small adjustment of simply changing “Just in case” to “In case” can go a long way towards making your emails more formal, as it will let the person know that your tone for this conversation is formal.
- Dear Mr. Michaels
- I have been thinking about our development issue. I don’t think it’s going to happen, but in case it does, I think we should call the team to execute our alternative plan.
- Cheers,
- Mr. Paulson
Should
“Should” is another fantastic word that will help you rephrase your “Just in case” into a sentence that is not only less casual, but also more directly comprehensible with less unnecessary words. Following the “Should (x) happen, then (y)” can help you make your emails shorter, more compact and efficient.
When you say “Should” to create the possibility of an event happening, you’re being efficient and more formal in the language that you use at the same time.
- Dear Mrs. Andrews
- I understand your fear about the risk involved. Should anything happen, then we can fix it immediately, and you don’t need to worry about the price of the transaction.
- My best,
- Mr. Smith
Lest
“Lest” might strike some as an old-fashioned way of expressing that something ought to be avoided, but the truth is that if you want to replace your “Just in case” that refers to a negative event, then “Lest” is an incredibly fitting word.
“Lest” works in a very similar way to “Just in case”, to the point where you can use it in an email with little issue.
It can slot into a sentence without changing it drastically, and you can sound very formal by using it.
- Dear Mr. Summers
- I think that, for the trip, we should take the upstate route instead of the downtown route, lest we get stranded in a snowstorm and have no place to go.
- My best,
- Mr. Quire
Were
Another classic replacement for “Just in case” in a formal email is “Were this to happen”. This is a phrase that expresses the exact same idea as “Just in case”: That of a given event being possible, and what to do in case that specific event were to occur.
The phrase “Were this to happen” is a simplified version of “If this were to happen” that drops the preposition “If” and alters the word order, and it’s perfectly valid and formal english.
- Dear Mr. Howlett
- Earlier in our conversation, you asked me what I’d do if the lost items were found. Were this to happen, I would have them fetched immediately and notify the respective owners.
- My best,
- Mr. McCoy
As A Precaution
A good way to replace “Just in case” with a more formal alternative for an email is to use “As a precaution”. “As a precaution” immediately implies that the following idea exists only for a specific scenario that may not necessarily happen, and it uses no casual language in doing so.
When you say “As a precaution”, you’re also directly outlining a path of action to take in a worst case scenario, which the receiver of the email will most likely appreciate you doing.
- Dear Mrs Frost
- I keep thinking about what you told me the other day. As a precaution, I will start using caller ID to prevent further scam calls.
- My best,
- Mrs Gray
If This Were To Happen
“If this were to happen” is a great sentence to use when you’ve previously established a hypothetical scenario. The phrase helps you immediately determine a plan of actions to take if the hypothetical scenario were to come to pass. “If this were to happen” is another good replacement for “Just in case”.
Furthermore, “If this were to happen” is a good way to establish a hypothetical in a neutral way that is fitting for any sort of formal email or communication.
- Dear Mr. Shaw
- I understand that there is a risk of the ship capsizing with this new cargo. If this were to happen, I’d be happy to cover all the monetary charges involved.
- My regards,
- Ms. Pryde
In the event
“In the event” is another direct way to pivot into talking about a possible scenario in a formal way. “Just in case” also establishes a hypothetical situation, but “In the event” is a particularly good phrase to use because it immediately allows you to talk about what to do in that situation.
The combination of establishing a hypothetical and then talking about what to do in that hypothetical would be of immense use to any kind of formal emails, so “In the event” is a great phrase to have at your disposal.
- Dear Mr. Evans
- In the event that your profile is unable to be updated, we will resend you the required tax documents to fill out.
- My best,
- Mr. Rogers
Supposing
“Supposing” is a term that allows you to talk about a hypothetical while at the same time implying that it’s not a given, because you’re only supposing, or making an assumption. You can use “Supposing” to establish a particular imaginary situation, and then talk about what to do in that situation.
“Supposing” is a very elegant way to convey the creation of a hypothetical scenario in a formal email, because it’s just one word that immediately conveys the creation of a hypothesis.
- Dear Ms. Kane
- Supposing that the company’s wire transfer doesn’t work, then I will head to my bank and have them formally send your payment through their delivery system.
- My best,
- Ms. Gordon
On The Occasion That
“On the occasion that” is a fantastic sentence to use instead of “Just in case”. The phrase fulfills the same purpose of establishing a situation that hasn’t yet happened, and outlining the actions to take in that situation. The language used is significantly less casual than in “Just in case”.
“On the occasion that ” manages to portray the potential situation as a very possible and real scenario without establishing it as a given fact.
- Dear Mr. Williams
- I have processed your files. On the occasion that you need to use our services again, we will already have your information on hand, and can get you help quicker..
- My best,
- Mr. Pym
Assuming That
“Assuming that” is a good sentence to replace “Just in case” with because it’s a clean and well-known way to suggest a possible situation to the receiver of your email, without using any casual language. If you use “Assuming that”, your email will be very comprehensible and direct.
Because “Assuming that” is a very straightforward way to phrase the idea of a hypothetical situation, some people might see it as not formal enough. However, “Assuming that” can be used in a perfectly neutral manner.
- Dear Mr. Stark
- Assuming that what you have told me is true, I will have to hold a new meeting soon to determine a course of action for these future months.
- My best,
- Mr. Drake
What Does “Just In Case” Mean?
“Just in case” is a phrase that is utilized to talk about a possible, hypothetical situation, and the action that is being taken to prepare for such a possibility. “Just in case” can generally be used as a standalone phrase after or before mentioning the steps being taken to prepare.
“In case” is used to mean “If this situation happens, then I will do this”. “Just in case” is a more vague phrase that may refer to actions being taken merely because of the possibility of something happening.
Is It Informal To Say “Just In Case”?
Because “Just in case” is a vague, broad phrase, it’s generally an informal sentence to utilize, and should be avoided in professional or academic settings. Formal, professional language should strive to be more precise and efficient, and “Just in case” is very often used in ambiguous ways.
Merely saying “In case” without the “Just” is a valid way of expressing the same idea while being more specific and avoiding the vagueness that is often related to “Just in case”.
Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here.
Email is an excellent way to get the word out. You can send messages inside the office to a wide number of people or send a well-thought-out memo to a single person.
But email is often misused for its purpose. It’s far too easy to crack a joke that comes across poorly or send out an angry message that you regret, usually within a few seconds of sending it.
Even when not dealing with emotions, emails can run counter to their purpose. A message trying to schedule a meeting can draw a long chain of responses, not all of which are to the most recent message in the thread.
A similar problem exists when seeking solutions from a group. Some discussion via email is, of course, good, but there’s a threshold that’s quickly crossed between a five-minute response of «hey, this might work,» to a lengthy debate that’s far better settled in a group meeting.
So what should professionals avoid when writing emails? Here’s what members from Forbes Coaches Council say:
All images courtesy of Forbes Councils members.
1. You Don’t Quickly And Clearly State The Topic In The Subject Line
Email is the No. 1 method of communication used in business, yet many emails are never read. To ensure your email is read, state a clear message in the subject line. The subject line should state in 10 words or less what your email is about. If your subject isn’t clear and enticing, your email may not get noticed. Be sure to never leave the subject line blank. — Lori Manns, Quality Media Consultant Group
2. You Write Long Emails
Professionals should avoid long emails when possible. If you find yourself writing a lengthy email, it’s probably a signal you need to have a phone call or a face-to-face meeting, so instead of a lengthy email, send a calendar request. There are times — due to the need for clarity or legal requirements, for instance — where a lengthy email is simply unavoidable. If not, send short emails. Remember less is more! — Eddie Turner, Eddie Turner LLC
3. You Share Secrets
Every email can be shared literally billions of times. So don’t send anyone your greatest secret, or even something very confidential. Even if the recipient respects your need for confidentiality, the message may be accidentally shared or seen by someone who shouldn’t see it, or who will share it. Email is excellent for documenting agreements or understandings, but it is tricky to use for secrets. — Susan P. Joyce, Job-Hunt.org
4. You Don’t Give Hard News In Person
You should never give hard news or share tough decisions through email, yet it happens all the time. Doing so breaks down trust and doesn’t allow you to be present for the other person as they receive the news. Instead, you should write to them asking to set up a time for a meeting, ideally in person, but if needed, by phone. — Jenn Lofgren, Incito Executive & Leadership Development
5. You Say ‘Just’
Using the word «just» in your emails takes away from your leadership communication, making you sound apologetic or deflective. Professionals use «just» frequently as a buffer so they don’t sound aggressive, demanding, or overly controlling, when in reality all it does it take away our perception of confidence and leadership. — Kamila Gornia, Kamila Social LLC
6. You Shout
For those individuals who believe in excessive emphasis: Caps lock is not your friend. No email should CONTAIN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. Stop shouting! It’s rude, unprofessional and condescending to your readers. There are other methods to create emphasis without an over-utilization of capitalization. — Erin Urban, UPPSolutions, LLC
7. You Use Excessive Exclamation Points
I ascribe to the «one ‘!’ per email» rule — anything more can come across as unprofessional and hype-y. Let go of the exclamation points and use your words instead to relate your enthusiasm. — Tina Forsyth, Tina Forsyth
8. You Try To Be Funny
Written humor can go wrong on so many levels. It’s best to leave it out unless you know the recipient very well, and then approach it with caution. The punchline may be funny in person and in the moment, but get lost in transmission. Professionalism in all ways is of the utmost importance to establish or maintain credibility. Once you hit the send button, content control just left your hands. — Deborah Hightower, Deborah Hightower, Inc.
9. You Use Emojis
Teenagers aren’t the only ones writing in text short form. Believe it or not, young professionals are using emoji in professional emails. Leave the emojis and personal emotions out. If there is an issue to address, explain how you feel about it without coming across as if the person is attacking your character. Ask to further speak in person to avoid things from getting lost in translation. — Niya Allen-Vatel, Resume Newbie
10. You Ask ‘When Do You Want To Meet?’
Sending a message with «when do you want to meet?» can create five more emails between people trying to find a meeting time. The simple act of listing your open times and days or using an online scheduling link prevents the burden from being tossed onto the next person. It saves time and eliminates aggravation. — Nancy Marmolejo, TalentAndGenius.com
11. You Make A Demand, Instead Of A Request
Email can be so misinterpreted, so I recommend that if you want to make a demand, change it to a kind request. Starting an email with «Would you be willing to help me with…» or «Could you give me a perspective on…» is so much different than «I need you to give me…» or «I want you to stop…,» for example. Find a way to ask gently, because demands raise concerns and blood pressure, and put people on the defensive. — John M. O’Connor, Career Pro Inc.
12. You End Your Message With ‘Thoughts?’
Often leaders provide a statement, proposal or solution by email, then end it with «Thoughts?» to gather your input via email. It’s painful when there are more than a few people on the email chain who then each add lengthy opinions to the email. If you’re seeking feedback, replace «Thoughts?» with a request for a Skype or phone call, or find us in person directly and take a walk to a different floor. — Joanne Markow, GreenMason
13. You Write A Nasty Email
Never write a nasty email. Anything that important should be said directly to the person. Our thoughts and feelings about others can change in a second; emails last forever. People reread and forward emails that create deep emotional cancers and metastasize. They will relive those moments long after you forgot them. Regret is painful, and email ensures it lasts. Write to yourself, then delete. — Hayward Suggs, Commonquest Consulting
Language proved its power at every turn last year.
Reviewed by
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
I can’t forget George Floyd’s last words as he was pinned under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer. Pull-quotes from Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris’ acceptance speech in Wilmington flooded my social media feeds for weeks after she made the remarks. The word “coronavirus” became heavy and all-consuming.
In 2020, a spotlight was placed on how we communicated, with masks hiding facial expressions and low-signal strength Zoom calls distorting our sentences. In the first days of 2021, while others were making resolutions and road-mapping plans for the year ahead, the thing that kept coming up for me was language. And as I reflect on a time when so many used their voices to bring about necessary change, there is some language I’m marking as discontinued.
«Just» (As a Hedger)
In the first few months of working from home, I found myself writing a lot more emails. Questions that could normally be answered with a quick walk down the hall were replaced with back-and-forth queries on the internet. Web-based correspondence substituted nearly all in-person interaction. And, I noticed there was some language that kept repeating itself:
- I’m just checking in on …
- Just wanted to see …
- Just wondering if there’s anything …
- Just a thought …
- Just a few questions …
We use hedges, like the word “just,” to soften or express hesitation in what we say (“kind of,” “sort of,” etc.). We hedge to be vague or express politeness (“maybe it’s best if…”). So when I caught myself hedging at every turn, it gave me pause. I consider myself assertive. So, why was my language shifting to apprehensive and unsure?
From a linguistic standpoint, there is nothing “wrong” with these words, says Dr. Betsy Sneller, assistant professor of linguistics at Michigan State University. Furthermore, linguists stand behind the belief there is nothing inherently weak/bad/wrong about any piece of language. Things get complicated, however, when people add a measure of value or behavior to that language—like dubbing it the way women speak. “When people add social evaluation to language, it’s not inherently attached to that language,” Sneller explained. “It’s attached to who they think sounds like that.”
And it isn’t exclusive to women’s language creating the conditions for social injustice. “People of color are evaluated more strictly than white people,” Sneller noted. “Which puts us as speakers, as individual humans living in the world, in a tough situation.” That is precisely the situation I found myself in as I reevaluated my language choices. I had unintentionally fallen into a gender dynamic. And whenever we talk about gender, we are always talking about power, says Michelle Phillips, a liberation coach based in Seattle. For Phillips, words like “just” signify a need to feel believed, a need to feel qualified and justified and, therefore, worthy to say whatever it is you’re saying. In my case, instead of saying exactly what I meant, without the extra language, I was asking permission to take up space (go back and read those emailed phrases again).
Unplash/Design by Cristina Cianci
The year 2020 gave Black women and other women of color a measure of flexibility to be themselves, says Tamika Lewis, clinical director and founder of WOC Therapy. “Not being so afraid to use direct language and worrying about being associated with the angry Black woman,” said Lewis. “And really challenging those myths and challenging people to dismantle those myths.”
Language is complex. And in a banner time for cancel culture, I am not advocating for “just” to be canceled altogether. It is not that simple (the Nike slogan “Just do it” is genius and should definitely stick around). I am advocating for an active practice of language, for a use of language that empowers us as individual speakers. When the word “just” flooded my vocabulary in 2020, it was in my best interest to stop and examine the choices I was making. Because language is something we do, says Phillips, citing Toni Morrison. “We attend to language because of the power that it has in our lives,” Phillips explains. “So as it comes out of our mouths, the power of language—of what I say—will shape what I do.”
The year 2020 was marked by historic and heartbreaking events. This, to me, is further proof that the power we have as speakers cannot be downplayed. And while the list of 2020’s events that left me feeling powerless is overwhelming, I have learned to focus on what I can control. Thus, the word “just” as a hedger has to go.