> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.growthxai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Why Is There a Delay Between Actions?

> Why steps don't run the instant a lead reaches them, even with no delay set.

Seeing a gap between steps, even where you didn't add a delay, is normal. The platform deliberately spaces actions out so each sender behaves like a person, not a script.

## Where the delays come from

**1. Every step has a default wait**
Each step's **Wait before this step** setting defaults to **1 day ±20%**. You can change or remove it in the step's settings on the right of the builder.

**2. Jitter**
Delays have a random **± spread**, so a "1 day" wait might be 20 or 28 hours. This stops actions for many leads going out at the same moment.

**3. Working hours**
Actions only run inside the sender's schedule. A step that becomes due at 19:00 on a Friday waits until Monday morning (with the default schedule).

**4. Nightly planning**
Each sender's actions are planned once a night for the next day. Leads enrolled during the day are picked up in the next plan, unless you click **Plan now** on the sender's Overview tab.

**5. Random slot times**
Within working hours, each action gets a random time. Nothing is ever sent on a round minute.

**6. Daily caps**
When a sender reaches its daily limit for an action, the remaining leads wait until the next working day.

**7. After a connection is accepted**
When an invitation is accepted, the first step on the **connected** branch is scheduled at least **2 hours later**, within working hours.

**8. Priority**
When several sequences share a sender, leads with a lower **priority** number are planned first. Others may wait until capacity frees up.

## How to see when the next action will happen

* **For a lead:** open their profile. Under **Sequence enrollments**, look at **Waiting until**, or check **Recent actions** for queued items.
* **For a sender:** open its **Overview** tab and check **Upcoming actions**.

## Q: Can I make a sequence run faster?

Only within the safety rules. You can shorten or remove the **Wait before this step** delays and give a sequence a lower priority number. You can't raise a sender's daily limits. Use **Projection** in the builder to see how long a batch of leads will take.

## Related articles

* [My Sequence Is Stuck — Troubleshooting Checklist](/sequences/sequence-troubleshooting/sequence-is-stuck-checklist)
* [Sender's Schedule Explained](/senders/senders-schedule-explained)
* [Smart Limits & Account Safety](/getting-started/platform-overview/smart-limits-and-account-safety)