Just like everyone else, the idea of a tight deadline fills me with dread. So much to do, so little time! And yet, when I’m granted a more liberal turnaround, my initial relief is soon replaced by the feeling of “Will this ever end?” The reason, at least for me, is probably best explained using Parkinson’s law: “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”. And so, whilst 2,000 words a day is a more than feasible amount of work when a deadline looms, the same 2,000 words could see itself spread over several days when there isn’t a need for speed. The latter implies far less stress, of course, but also represents a debilitating lack of efficiency in which we may end up spending the same time over one project as we would ordinarily take for several.
Parkinson’s law has been reformulated since it was first expressed in 1955. One of these reformulations which hints at the virtue of deadlines is the more positive “Work contracts to fit in the time we give it”. There’s undeniably a lot of truth in this simple adage, which no doubt explains why we translators often accept work which requires a very tight turnaround: though we might not “enjoy” the work as much as other projects (that said, there are bound to be those who get a real frill from the pressure entailed), we know that it’s possible because, well, if that’s how long we’ve got, that’s how long it will take.
The reality of this simple truth means, amongst other things, so-called “rush translations” will not necessarily be of a lower quality than their more leisurely counterparts. Whilst conventional wisdom tells us that last-minute translations must inherently be of inferior quality because of the constraints placed upon them, this need not be the case at all. It’s true that research takes time, but if Parkinson’s law is to be believed, the only time we need for that research corresponds perfectly to the time we have for it.
Of course, there are bound to be instances in which Parkinson’s law is null and void: no matter how hard we try, a 20,000 word translation in 24 hours will never end well. Extreme examples aside, however, there is an essential truth to Parkinson’s law that we could all benefit from. The variables are many, but I for one know that some of the best translations I’ve ever produced have been ones which I turned around fast, usually by necessity. I say “by necessity” because, without an impending deadline to spur us on, it can be difficult to find the motivation or discipline to deliver a translation well in advance of time.
And so, in conclusion, deadlines are good because they compel us to be efficient. Even tight deadlines are to be celebrated because they compel us to be even more efficient than usual! And greater efficiency has positive repercussions for the rest of our business, not least in increased revenue. If nothing else though, a more positive view of deadlines can help us all in approaching our work with less dread, and more optimism.
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