Time Management Tips How to Recharge Your Productivity by Conquering Perfectionism's 3 Illusions

'Take time to be deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.'
Napoleon Bonaparte

Time management tips increase your real power in real time. You focus on what you can do right this minute, so realism is your strongest ally. Seize this opportunity to wage war on pointless perfectionism.

How often do you feel the frustration of trying to get something 'just right', only to feel your day slipping away from you? Attention to detail can assist you as your valued servant. But all too often, it rages as a tyrant that deprives you of perspective and genuine pleasure over your very real accomplishments. Instead of allowing perfectionism to commandeer your life, learn to recognize these 3 messages as danger signals and regain positive control over your time!'

Perfectionist Message #1: 'I need to wait for just the right time to get started.'

What exactly is the 'right time'? Perhaps you believe the right time will arrive when:

* You feel inspired.

* You have more free time.

* There will be no distractions.

* There will be no demands placed on your time.

* Your friend makes good on the promise to help you clean out your garage.

In any of these instances, you are giving yourself the message that something additional is needed before you can begin. This automatically makes you feel less powerful and diminishes your incentive.

Time-Wise Response: 'The right time is right now.'

'Now' is what you have to work with. So envision yourself successfully completing the project and feel you pleasure. Now work backwards: break the task into manageable increments that you can complete in a single session. If any portion of the project feels overwhelming, break it down further. Schedule each work session on your to-do list and start in. Like jumping into in a cool lake, once you take that plunge, you can enjoy the swim!

Perfectionist Message #2: 'It is not perfect yet.' If this is something you often say, ask yourself these questions:

* What do you consider perfect?

* Is it attainable?

* Whose eyes are you trying to see the project through?

* Are you anticipating criticism?

* Are your expectations for this project realistic or inflated?

Time-Wise Response: 'Done is better than perfect' or 'It is good enough.'

Reinforce this message by actively validating yourself once the project is completed. The more you look to yourself to provide rewards, the more autonomy you develop.

Remember that the pleasure of accomplishment increases your self-confidence and satisfaction in your work! And the less dependent you feel upon others for approval, the less vulnerable you will be to anticipating criticism. As a side benefit, you may enjoy increased creativity.

Perfectionist Message #3: 'I know I can make it better.' You may have certain weak areas. Here is where endless time can be wasted tweaking something until you can't even see it clearly anymore!

Time-Wise Response: 'I will ask for feedback.'

This is powerful in 3 important ways:

* Others can see mistakes and oversights with fresh eyes.

* Delegating frees up your time so you can move on to your next task.

* You are embracing others' viewpoints. The more you welcome challenge, the less you fear their responses. This is one of the most powerful ways to fight perfectionism.

Notice how countering these 3 illusions will help you at each stage of your project. You will become less and less likely to procrastinate when it's time to begin, you can proceed to each step rather than obsess on details halfway through, and you can establish a realistic criteria for when your work is "good enough".

There is one "perfect" you can safely retain. Affirm that you are perfectly capable of keeping perfectionism from bullying you into paralysis. Instead, celebrate your power to be productive, and enjoy your success at finding time!

What is your next step to enjoy productivity without placing unfair demands upon yourself all the time?

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