Many a time when faced with an important question or a task, we take time to respond. We may feel that we need to understand all the implications well and address the matter at hand thoroughly. We may want to organize our thoughts before we deal with a critical query. So we delay responding until we can provide a precise reply.

But we often fail to comprehend what the delay will signify to the mind of the person who posed the question or presented the task to us. They are more likely to feel that we are not giving enough value to their query. So we are taking our own sweet time to get back to them at our leisure. Thus, misunderstandings crop in. Collective human psychology is to deal with matters that are vital to us with urgency. More often than not, we postpone only those tasks that do not matter to us. Thus, if you delay responding, the delay might be construed as a lack of priority.

If it matters to you, respond immediately. Even if only to explain that you will need time to come up with a precise answer. Avoid unnecessary misconstructions and be prompt with your responses.