Thursday
Nov102011
Present Perfect: tips for entrepreneurs on embracing the imperfect
Posted on 
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 9:25AM
Thursday, November 10, 2011 at 9:25AM One of the first lessons I’ve had to learn as a new entrepreneur is that perfectionism radically slows you down.
Let me clarify. Perfectionism slows you to an abysmal crawl where you hardly get anything done. Perfectionism chews away at your ability to advance on your ever-growing, omni-present to do list.
I’m learning to embrace imperfection.
This never would have happened in the past.
Without offering any excuses for my previous behavior, suffice it to say that I usually beat myself up a job not well done, in leaving loose ends not neatly tied up, checklists not properly checked off, paper and email copy arduously wordsmithed, presentation layouts pixelly perfect... the list goes on. I am creative, but I strive for order.
Of course, there is never enough time to properly do those things. Sleep, exercise and house cleaning are normally the first things to suffer (sadly, I will admit that this occurs in the reverse order.)
Now there is even less time. And I am beginning to suspect that the trend will intensify. Oh my.
So I’m rapidly embracing IM-perfection. Yesterday’s lost battles are today’s triumphs. It used to be that I aspired to "Inbox Zero." Now, any day I get to inbox 50 is a banner day. If I can eat something green every day, then I no longer care if I cooked that food myself.
Let me clarify. Perfectionism slows you to an abysmal crawl where you hardly get anything done. Perfectionism chews away at your ability to advance on your ever-growing, omni-present to do list.
I’m learning to embrace imperfection.
This never would have happened in the past.
Without offering any excuses for my previous behavior, suffice it to say that I usually beat myself up a job not well done, in leaving loose ends not neatly tied up, checklists not properly checked off, paper and email copy arduously wordsmithed, presentation layouts pixelly perfect... the list goes on. I am creative, but I strive for order.
Of course, there is never enough time to properly do those things. Sleep, exercise and house cleaning are normally the first things to suffer (sadly, I will admit that this occurs in the reverse order.)
Now there is even less time. And I am beginning to suspect that the trend will intensify. Oh my.
So I’m rapidly embracing IM-perfection. Yesterday’s lost battles are today’s triumphs. It used to be that I aspired to "Inbox Zero." Now, any day I get to inbox 50 is a banner day. If I can eat something green every day, then I no longer care if I cooked that food myself.
So here are my five favorite "streamlines", imperfect solutions that help me get more done and stay (sort-of) sane:
If you are looking for additional reading on this, my favorite blog on this subject is Zen Habits. It would be great if there were a "zen habits for entrepreneurs", but in a way, Leo is an entrepreneur, so I think his posts are amazingly relevant and always leave me feeling more, well - zen. Definitely check it out if you haven't.
What about you? What imperfections and shortcuts have you embraced to get more stuff done? Any top tips for streamlining your entrepreneurial life? Please share in the comments. Thanks for visiting and reading my first post!
- Embrace salad bar meals: on average, I'm using my stove about twice a semester during the school year
- Have a place for everything: in your house, in your files, in your notes. Speedy retrieval (and putting away) is everything.
- Do annoying errands in batches: bills, laundry... ahem, dishes. (I don't recommend the latter. I have recycleable paper plates for the really bad weeks.)
- Regularly prune commitments: I used to be an "over-joiner" - some of you will know what I mean. I've drastically cut back and am loving it.
- Never cut back on friends or (completely) eliminate exercise: huge wins for sanity!
If you are looking for additional reading on this, my favorite blog on this subject is Zen Habits. It would be great if there were a "zen habits for entrepreneurs", but in a way, Leo is an entrepreneur, so I think his posts are amazingly relevant and always leave me feeling more, well - zen. Definitely check it out if you haven't.
What about you? What imperfections and shortcuts have you embraced to get more stuff done? Any top tips for streamlining your entrepreneurial life? Please share in the comments. Thanks for visiting and reading my first post!
Reader Comments (1)
Ahh yes, perfectionism, that huge, gigantic road block. I know it too well. :) (E.g., see: http://bellaearth.cassanego.net/?p=164). I'm looking forward to reading your blog!