10 Reasons Why Done is Better than Perfect
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If you're a perfectionist, it's easy to want things done a certain way. The need for perfection is not only unhealthy, but you're reaching for a standard you can never achieve.
There's a difference between striving to achieve something and striving for perfection, wherein you realize getting something done is better than perfect. This means that despite the flaws, finishing a task is an accomplishment in itself. At some point, you realize that imperfections aren't always so bad.
In fact, they're part of the process, as long as you get things done. In this article, we'll be talking about 10 reasons why done is better than perfect.
What Does “Done is Better Than Perfect" Mean?
The phrase 'done is better than perfect' means that even if you didn't get every specific detail right, it's more important that you finished a task. Perfectionism may seem like a good trait initially, but it's dangerous to both your mental health and sanity.
Done is better than perfect means that even if you didn't get the expectation you wanted in a certain output, you should still be proud that you finished a task. Although far from perfect, you still did it with effort and precision, and that's what's important.
This phrase means that you don't push yourself beyond your limits just so you can perfect a task over your mental health. Pressure can be good and healthy, but not to a point where you go hard on yourself until you get every aspect perfect.
Done is better than perfect means that you have healthy boundaries and expectations for yourself. You know that it's impossible to achieve perfection and rather than attempting to achieve it through breaking yourself, you accept the mediocrity of a certain result.
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10 Reasons Why Done is Better Than Perfect
1. You get results
When you have this expectation of perfection, it's either you don't get things done because of the fear of failure or spending too much time perfecting the little details.
It doesn't matter if it's a work task or a project, perfectionism delays the results even further. Getting things done means you have results as it is.
2. You avoid paralysis
With your constant fear of failure and not being enough, perfectionism makes you be in a state of paralysis where you feel stuck and can't get anything done.
In return, you choose to settle for not doing anything at all. With your need for getting everything right, you don't know which direction to go.
3. You can still fix your mistakes
Just because a task is finished, you can't edit your errors and mistakes. Nothing is permanent and the same goes for your tasks.
Rather than striving for perfection initially, remember that you can always learn from your mistakes. In a work task, you can always edit things afterward rather than break yourself trying to perfect things.
4. You're more stable
Perfectionism can easily take you out of your balance, whether you like it or not. The need to have everything done a certain way impacts your mental and emotional health negatively.
Simply doing your tasks should be adequate enough for you, without worrying about whether or not you've met your own expectations.
5. You're more realistic
Perfectionism is a double-edged sword that you don't want to integrate into your life. There's nothing realistic with achieving perfection in your tasks. What matters more is getting things done and making the effort to push through it, no matter how mediocre it may seem for you. By getting things done, you're setting a realistic and most importantly, a healthy standard for yourself and others.
6. You save more time
You shouldn’t be obsessing over one detail that may or may not be significant to the overall output.
Learn to be content with being done as it saves you more time in the long run. Avoiding perfectionism isn't just healthy, but it promotes saving time and energy.
7. You're more productive
You will never achieve productivity if you're stuck on perfecting something, and this is a lesson perfectionists learn the hard way.
No matter how hard you try, you can't have both perfection and productivity in one go. They contrast one another.
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8. You procrastinate
A lot of people wonder why perfectionists have it in their nature to procrastinate when they want everything to be perfect. Again, this stems from a deep fear of failure and mistakes.
When you have this need for things to go exactly within your standards, you tend to do it at the last minute as you're scared of disappointing others or yourself.
9. You overwork
There nothing bad about spending your time at work. In fact, that attribute is seen as ambitious and persistent. The harm lies when you don't do anything else but work as this is extremely harmful to your overall health.
Perfectionists tend to busy themselves with work as they feel as if something's off when they aren't working. This is nowhere near healthy and will lead to you burning yourself out completely.
10. You avoid burnout
Every perfectionist will tell you that it's not a path you intend to take. It may seem attractive at first, but it will break you to the point of no return.
Being damaged because of the need to achieve perfection isn't what you want in your life. Perfectionism is the opposite of living your life.
Final Thoughts
I hope this article was able to shed insight into perfectionism and why done is better than perfect. At the end of the day, you shouldn't break yourself just to meet your perfect standards. Perfectionism is all in the mind and it's not a realistic and healthy standard.
By choosing a path of getting things done and accepting mediocrity, you're taking care of yourself in your own distinct way. Striving for perfection isn't something you want to get into. Eventually, this will burn you out of every energy you have and you'll realize that it's an impossible standard.
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