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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: How Deep Work

Can Improve Public Relations Writing Sophia Alfieri | @Sophia_Alfieri | frominktoweb.wordpress.com

December 10, 2018

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Table of Contents

Executive Summary…………………………………..…3

What’s the Situation?……………………………..…...4

A History Lesson……………………………………..……6

The Fix..……………………………………………………….7

The Next Steps…………………………………………….9

My Final Pitch to You………..……………...………….12

Conclusion…………………………………………………..14

Bibliography………………………………………………...15

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Executive Summary

The goal of this paper is to introduce, dissect, and incorporate deep work into

the writing process of public relations professionals. Written communication is

arguably the most important aspect of PR; without written communication,

there would be much confusion, little to no voice or representation, and no

opportunity for growth and development of a client, company or agency. To

succeed in this field, PR professionals should know how to write clearly,

concisely, persuasively, and detailed, among other characteristics. With the

rise of technology, however, focus on proper and timely writing has wavered

due to the smartphone’s ability to hit our weak points, draw us in, and keep us

in its grasp, no matter how important outside tasks may be.

Every problem comes with a solution, and distraction is no match against its

fix. In his book Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World,

acclaimed author Cal Newport brings to light the concept of deep work, which

translates to putting technology far away in an effort to put all of our focus and

skill into what we aim to successfully produce. Doing so allows us to develop as

professionals, as job candidates, and as day-to-day people. By putting

themselves in a state of depth, achieved by following a handful of focus

strategies suggested by Newport, PR pros could more effectively produce

pieces of writing that are rich in necessary creativity and detail. Judgement of

its success and its possibility of being incorporated into any lifestyle is of the

personal sort.

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What’s the Situation?

Written communication is one of the most important skills necessary for a

professional in the field of public relations. In order for any press release, pitch,

campaign plan, speech, or script to be strong, the writing should be clear,

detailed, and grammatically correct. Time and effort must be devoted to the

process, no matter how big or small the task. Without a knack for or

commitment to written communications, a PR professional is at risk of

jeopardizing their client, image, or reputation.

The graphic above neatly lays out the usual steps taken during PR writing. As

you can see, professionals must draw upon creativity, strategy, research,

emotion, and more when it comes down to what’s on the paper. If you miss the

mark on the headline or in the body of the piece, you may as well just kiss

media coverage goodbye. Unlike advertising, public relations is very

uncontrollable, so it is imperative that every detail is correct and in place.

Even if you have the smallest background in formal writing, looking at these

steps makes the process seem easy, right? Wrong! What many people often

forget to consider is the amount of time that goes into writing that perfect pitch

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or release. Handfuls of drafts will go back and forth between agency or

company personnel before a final version is able to be sent out. Something

that often plagues the creation and approval of any form of written

communication for PR is *dun dun dun* distraction.

When we’re distracted, we don’t perform a task at hand to the best of our

ability. In the case of PR, this could mean not including the correct or

necessary information in a written piece, or maybe having grammatical and

spelling errors. When there are a lot of mistakes, it takes longer for revision

and approval to happen. Since the world of PR can hand you something new or

unexpected any day, the more time that is spent on a written piece equals the

more backup there could be in the flow of information being released. It’s a

domino effect, and the first block is tipped by the hand of distraction.

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A History Lesson

So what exactly is causing so much distraction today, not only for PR

professionals but for various other fields and companies around the world? The

answer is sitting right in front of you. No, seriously, if you’re reading this on a

laptop or a cell phone the answer is literally right there in your hands.

TECHNOLOGY!

Smartphones are the one of the greatest distractions in society today. Studies

show that it can take up to 20 minutes to fully return to a task at hand after

looking at your cell phone. It has also been revealed that phones take away

from reading, writing, and research by making it harder to retain important

information. This in turn leads to more stress, less focus, and ineffective

methods for getting things done in a timely fashion.

Tech companies have found a way to capture our attention and shape the way

we think, act, and feel through exploitation. This in turn steals from us our

individuality, uniqueness, and privacy. The scarily-brilliant minds of those in

Silicon Valley desire to “hijack” our minds and keep us scrolling through the

feeds we monitor on their precious products.

Not only does technology cause major distraction, but it affects us physically

and mentally. Constantly looking down can lead to nerve damage in the neck,

back, and shoulders, while holding on tightly and using our thumbs can lead to

arthritis. The blue light that is emitted from your phone can contribute to

diabetes, obesity, eye strain, and heart disease. Studies show that many young

people, especially those within the iGen, have developed depression and

suicidal traits. They are less independent, less outgoing, and more cautious

about how they present themselves. These trends, along with distraction, are

quite negative and therefore should be handled before it’s too late

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The Fix

While distraction from the writing process can be a challenging thing to fight, it

certainly isn’t impossible. There are two key words to remember when

combating disturbances of the technological form – deep work.

Deep work is a term coined by the innovative mind of Cal Newport, author of

the award-winning book Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted

World. By definition, deep work is “professional activities performed in a state

of distraction-free concentration that push your cognitive capabilities to their

limit.” Simply put, this means putting your technology far away, finding a

comfortable spot, and focusing on your important task at hand. The opposite

term is shallow work, which is defined as “non-cognitively demanding,

logistical-style tasks, often performed while distracted.” This is how many of us

work on a daily basis, keeping our devices near us while attempting to be

productive.

For those of you who tend to be more visual learners, here is a formula that

helps to explain the process I just described:

High-Quality Work Produced=

(Time Spent) x (Intensity of Focus)

We cannot turn to and idealize technology simply because “it’s there” or

because it makes life easier. Rather, we must take the time to consider its

cons and how we as a society can turn things around for the better.

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When we work deeply, we produce in the highest quality and simultaneously

improve cognitive skills. No matter your age, practicing such a concept can

directly make you more appealing in the job market. On the other hand, when

you perform shallow work, you don’t get as much done in the most effective

way possible. It so easily leaves you in a position to reap no benefits.

As a PR professional, putting yourself in a distraction-free environment when

you must write a release or come up with a campaign strategy would do

nothing but help your writing process. Being in a state of depth directly

influences the flow of ideas, creativity, and skill. It also allows us to complete

projects in a timely, orderly, and clean-cut fashion. In the busy and ever-

changing world of PR, how can you go wrong with such a practice?

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The Next Steps

Now that the solution to distraction from the writing process has been

revealed, what are the next steps? There luckily exist remedies to assist in the

avoidance of disturbances and the focus on working deeply.

In his first rule, Newport suggests that it is important to determine and

rigorously follow set routines and rituals on a daily basis. To help with this, he

brings up 6 strategies that allow you to build focus, determination, and the

ability to participate in meaningful work:

1. Find Your Deep Work Philosophy – find an approach (monastic, bimodal,

rhythmic, or journalistic) that makes sense personally for integrating deep

work into your lifestyle

For public relations professionals, the philosophy mentioned by Newport

that could work best is rhythmic. In this philosophy, time is allocated for

deep work on a daily basis, ensuring that the practice becomes a habit. You

should always be on your toes when it comes to PR, so knowing how to

immerse yourself into depth at any given time can be crucial. Of course, it is

important to mention that everyone is different, so there is not one

approach that will help all those in this field.

2. Build Rituals Based on Your Situation – analyze your personality and what

projects you are working on and ask yourself where you will be working and

for how long, how you will work, and how you’ll support your work in order to

find the perfect ritual

Finding a work ritual for PR can be tough because of the cautious tendency

of taking things one day at a time. Consider broad and applicable rituals

such as making more deadlines for yourself, not using your phone for a

certain time of day, or maybe even researching how to improve your writing

during free time. Like philosophy, every person is going to have to find the

ritual that works best for them.

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3. Go Big to Go Deep – make a radical change or gesture in your life to push

yourself and your goals of working deeply

This step requires a lot of personal reflection and decision making. If you

aren’t confined to your desk, you could try switching up your location to get

a change of scenery. Another idea could be to take some time off just so

you can research and evaluate. Doing so helps to clear your mind and avoid

static.

4. Try Not to Work Alone – collaboration can be necessary for breeding

interesting work results

If others in your department, agency, or work space are available, enlist

their help when you have to come up with creative titles, online copy, or

simply need a once over of your drafts. Collaborating with others and

utilizing their opinions can help to clear up any murkiness or

misunderstanding in a piece, as well as contribute to your growth as a writer

and creator.

5. Treat Everything Like a Business – focus on the important, act on “lead

measures,” keep score, and be accountable

When you know you have one, two, or ten pieces of writing that need to be

completed, set ambitious yet reachable goals that will create good results.

This could be setting a quota for how many pitches can get picked up in a

two-week period, or maybe how many interviews you could score for your

client. Measure what will bring success, which in the case of PR could be

specific language you use in a release or pitch. When the results start

coming in, keep a personal portfolio and one for the client/agency. Continue

to do these at your own rhythm and pace.

6. Make Room for Recharging – accept the fact that downtime can help the

mind with reenergizing thoughts, ideas, solutions, and so much more

I know sometimes it can be hard to catch a break in the world of PR, but it’s

not completely out of the picture. When you have time to breathe and

unwind, step away from your everything related to your work and spend

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some time doing something you enjoy. It will allow you to rack your brain for

new ideas and skills and will give you more energy to get writing done.

In public relations, knowing how to stay concentrated and how to avoid the

desire for distraction is key to producing a successful piece of writing. As I

mentioned before, focusing intently on that piece of collateral or that perfect

pitch will make it easier to get it right on the earliest tries. If you want to make

your client look good or if you want to catch the attention of a journalist, what

you are producing must exemplify your best work.

Additionally, it’s no secret that technology has now become an important part

of the PR field. With this in mind, Newport suggests that we must find the

middle ground of saying no to technology and accepting the fact that we need

it in the workplace. It is important to choose tools that positively impact our

success in working deeply and completing other activities. How do we make

the right choice of tools? By taking a moment to identify our high-level goals

and recognize the pros and cons of the tools we already use.

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My Final Pitch to You

It’s important for public relations professionals to learn how to literally put

down smartphones and figuratively pick up a smartphone and heed this call.

Deep work is an extremely valuable practice that can aid in personal focus and

skill. It breeds creativity, structure, and timeliness, among a handful of other

important assets for such a field.

The adoption of even the smallest suggestion from Deep Work: Rules for

Focused Success in a Distracted World can make a big impact on how you get

things done. Deep work can benefit you mentally, since technology can be

anxiety-inducing. It can increase your ability to socialize and boost your self-

esteem. Working deeply can even help you sleep better at night. There are

endless possibilities for growth and development when you enter the world of

deep work. If you’re having trouble understanding or integrating what I’ve

outlined, see below for some helpful resources!

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I now pitch these questions: Will you go down Cal Newport’s route and learn

how to work deeply? Or, will you continue to succumb to distraction and

shallow work? The choice is yours!

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Conclusion

Distraction during the writing of important documents, collateral, or copy in

public relations can prove to be detrimental to many involved parties. The

producer, the company or agency, and the client are at risk of image/brand

reputation being altered or even completely ruined. This disturbance is directly

connected to today’s technology, mostly the smartphone. Cellular devices take

our attention away from what’s important and, thanks to the minds of Silicon

Valley, know how to mold us in a way that makes sure our thumbs and eyes

stay glued to the screen. Cal Newport’s concept of deep work proves to be a

healthy and effective solution to the problem of distraction in the workplace.

When it’s broken down, the key to producing our best work is simply to put the

phone as far away from us as possible. Doing this and following suggested

steps can contribute to better focus, more effective thinking, increased

management and timeliness, and an all-around better feeling of self-worth.

Ultimately, it is a personal decision whether or not to indulge in Newport’s way

of life. No matter the choice, deep work can and should be applied to not only

the field of public relations, but to any field that demands concentration,

creativity, determination, and skill.

About Sophia Alfieri: Sophia is a public relations major and a media studies minor. Through

the Quinnipiac University 3+1 Communications Program, she is graduating in 2019 with her

bachelor’s degree and then in 2020 with a masters degree in Interactive Media. At school,

she is a social media manager for 98.1 WQAQ and Quinnipiac Tonight. She also writes for

QU Tonight and copyedits for QBSN.

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