June 2006 PR Perspective

PR Perspective: The Fine Art of Procrastination

by Steven Jay Fisher,

Beatnik Ravens Productions

beatnikravens@gmail.com

A few months back, after missing a deadline, WorkinPR dedicated user and newsletter subscriber Eugene P. Corrigan, Chairman and President of FLOW Inc. in Seabrook Island, South Carolina sent an e-mail suggesting I write a PR Perspective on "Procrastination: the Communicator's Worst Enemy." I had every intention of asking Mr. Corrigan to pen the piece. But I waited too long.

Now, in order to make this month's deadline, I must take on the authorship. However, I do not take the approach that procrastination is necessarily evil. Procrastinating, yes! Very bad! Procrastination, no! Can be good! Let's look at the dictionary definitions. In verb form, to procrastinate means:

To put off doing something, especially out of habitual carelessness or laziness.

To postpone or delay needlessly.

Neither of these bode well for the practitioner. Ah, but peruse the definitions of the noun, PROCRASTINATION. There are two:

1: the act of procrastinating; putting off or delaying or deferring an action to a later time

2: slowness as a consequence of not getting around to it

Let us examine these, starting with the second. (I have never been a slave to order.) "Slowness as a consequence of not getting around to it" can, indeed, bode very well for your business as you no doubt were overloaded with profitable endeavors, keeping you from getting to the task at hand. This, as Martha Stewart might say, is 'a good thing.' But then, Martha might use this information to divest her portfolio of your stock.

Now let us examine definition #1, specifically the notion of "putting off or delaying or deferring an action to a later time." This can allow the brain to percolate on your original concept, honing it to perfection and ensuring major success.

As a writer in Hollywood, I wrote over 100 produced television programs, films, videos and stage plays in addition to my public relations work. A short, one-line concept is great for the PTB's (Powers That Be) in a pitch session--they can only process information in 'TV Guide loglines'-- but it doesn't lead to a solidly conceived, fully fleshed-out end result (which would be dismissed by the general public but embraced by critics and film students.) I have found that the longer I allow a 'scathingly brilliant idea' to germinate before splaying digits on the digital keypad, the greater chance of the characters and plot maturing, achieving a more three-dimensional end result, if not a monumental paycheck and three picture deal. Of course, the danger, as with any creative confection, is to allow it to cook too long--aka overprocrastinating--creating nothing more than burnt pudding or primordial ooze.

Another danger is to sit on an idea too long, allowing another practitioner to 'scoop' you and snag your sale or client with their own 'scathingly brilliant but more rapidly cultivated' flower of a creative opus. [Ed. Note - This could be why Steve is not a better-known writer.]

In the interest of full disclosure, I must also point out that the dictionary website that offered the definitions above misspelled 'deferred' leading me to surmise we cannot completely trust it or anything I wrote thereafter. On pondering the perception of procrastination further, I must take issue with the author of this pusillanimous pompousness and offer up a more useful piece of advice, which has nothing whatsoever to do with alliteration. As admonished by Nike, the great Greek goddess of victory in mythology: "Just do it!"

About the author

Steven Jay Fisher has worked in professional entertainment and corporate communications. He has written and performed for television and stage and, more recently, corporate communications, including public relations and web development for WorkinPR.com and Microsoft. You can learn more about him and his Beatnik Ravens Productions at www.geocities.com/beatnikravensproductions

Copyright © 2006 Steven Jay Fisher. All rights reserved.

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