Procrastination in PR
June 19, 2019
If asked, many people would claim to procrastinate on a regular basis – at home, at work, with hobbies; there’s always time to put things off. Anyone who says they have never done so is likely lying or a cyborg.
Joseph Ferrari, procrastination researcher, professor of psychology at DePaul University in Chicago, and author of “Still Procrastinating: The No Regret Guide to Getting It Done,” states that around 20 percent of US adults are chronic procrastinators. However, Ferrari is also well known for saying, “Everyone procrastinates, but not everyone is a procrastinator.” This leaves many of us somewhere in between on the procrastination scale, not chronic (to the point it negatively affects our lives) but also not cyborg-like. Certainly, public relations, and everything else in the world, would be more efficient sans procrastination but then we would also be missing the human element, a key reason companies haven’t completely replaced their PR teams with robots.
With that, here is some food for thought to get you thinking more positively about procrastination.
The Human Element
As mentioned, it’s that human element that makes really great public relations pop. We know that without creativity, PR efforts can be downright flat. Boring, blah, nothing anyone would pay for. So taking the time to think, rather than to do, can be just the ticket.
In a 2016 TED Talk, author and professor Adam Grant, said: “Procrastination gives you time to consider divergent ideas, to think in nonlinear ways, to make unexpected leaps.” As long as you really, truly do plan on picking that project back up, there’s no harm in getting some breathing room. Be on the lookout for underestimating the project’s completion time (a real deadline no-no) and this bit of ‘putting it off’ could be for the better.
Proactive Procrastination
If “proactive procrastination” seems like an oxymoron, this next sentence won’t make sense either. The key to effective procrastination is to create a plan. This isn’t completing the actual project, so it doesn’t count as not procrastinating. Sometimes we delay starting a project because the overall task seems overwhelming. Laying out the steps, maybe doing a bit of research, and creating a game plan means you’ll be ready to go…when you’re ready to go.
Proactive efforts are a huge part of public relations. Clients rely on us to think ahead, a bit of future gazing if you will. Knowing exactly how much time to dedicate to a project (and leaving some bumper space) is crucial. In fact, following a rigid schedule (I was only planning on working on this project, not that one) could be your downfall – especially when there’s a fire drill, which can happen daily. By being proactive, you’ll be able to better prioritize tasks even in an emergency.
Done the wrong way, chronic, ill-planned procrastination is a terrible way to go through life, professionally and personally. However, once you’ve identified this “flaw,” you can work with your procrastinating ways. Procrastination allows us to reflect, build and improve on ideas. There are thousands of blogs and articles with advice on how to STOP procrastinating. By working with your traits, rather than against them, you can set yourself up for success. Now, if you’re the one in five people who are chronic procrastinators, you might want to check out some of those advice blogs.
Kayla Bortak
Senior Account Manager
Procrastination in PR
June 19, 2019
If asked, many people would claim to procrastinate on a regular basis – at home, at work, with hobbies; there’s always time to put things off. Anyone who says they have never done so is likely lying or a cyborg.
Joseph Ferrari, procrastination researcher, professor of psychology at DePaul University in Chicago, and author of “Still Procrastinating: The No Regret Guide to Getting It Done,” states that around 20 percent of US adults are chronic procrastinators. However, Ferrari is also well known for saying, “Everyone procrastinates, but not everyone is a procrastinator.” This leaves many of us somewhere in between on the procrastination scale, not chronic (to the point it negatively affects our lives) but also not cyborg-like. Certainly, public relations, and everything else in the world, would be more efficient sans procrastination but then we would also be missing the human element, a key reason companies haven’t completely replaced their PR teams with robots.
With that, here is some food for thought to get you thinking more positively about procrastination.
The Human Element
As mentioned, it’s that human element that makes really great public relations pop. We know that without creativity, PR efforts can be downright flat. Boring, blah, nothing anyone would pay for. So taking the time to think, rather than to do, can be just the ticket.
In a 2016 TED Talk, author and professor Adam Grant, said: “Procrastination gives you time to consider divergent ideas, to think in nonlinear ways, to make unexpected leaps.” As long as you really, truly do plan on picking that project back up, there’s no harm in getting some breathing room. Be on the lookout for underestimating the project’s completion time (a real deadline no-no) and this bit of ‘putting it off’ could be for the better.
Proactive Procrastination
If “proactive procrastination” seems like an oxymoron, this next sentence won’t make sense either. The key to effective procrastination is to create a plan. This isn’t completing the actual project, so it doesn’t count as not procrastinating. Sometimes we delay starting a project because the overall task seems overwhelming. Laying out the steps, maybe doing a bit of research, and creating a game plan means you’ll be ready to go…when you’re ready to go.
Proactive efforts are a huge part of public relations. Clients rely on us to think ahead, a bit of future gazing if you will. Knowing exactly how much time to dedicate to a project (and leaving some bumper space) is crucial. In fact, following a rigid schedule (I was only planning on working on this project, not that one) could be your downfall – especially when there’s a fire drill, which can happen daily. By being proactive, you’ll be able to better prioritize tasks even in an emergency.
Done the wrong way, chronic, ill-planned procrastination is a terrible way to go through life, professionally and personally. However, once you’ve identified this “flaw,” you can work with your procrastinating ways. Procrastination allows us to reflect, build and improve on ideas. There are thousands of blogs and articles with advice on how to STOP procrastinating. By working with your traits, rather than against them, you can set yourself up for success. Now, if you’re the one in five people who are chronic procrastinators, you might want to check out some of those advice blogs.
