Thanks to Cindy Bernstein of Aim4Order for this episode of Tips from the Pros with her blog about perfection and procrastination.

Perfection and procrastination are two stumbling blocks that get in the way of organizing. Knowing how to fight them can help you make the move to finally get organized.

If you have incredibly high standards that you have no chance of reaching, you might be a perfectionist. There is also the fear of not being able to do it well enough. Worrying about not being able to make your home perfect, can lead to you not beginning the organizing process.

Do you sit and look at the list of things you need to do thinking, “I don’t know where to start?” When you struggle with where to start, you might just throw up your hands and say, “Forget it! I’m not going to do this at all.” Fear of failing can be overwhelming. 

You don’t have to be perfect

Perfectionists never feel like they are never finished, they feel like every achievement is temporary. There will always be more to be done. And perfectionists are also their own biggest critics. Other people think what they have done is fine, fantastic even. But, the perfectionist can never really achieve their goal because nothing can ever be perfect.

Putting off things you know you have to do is procrastination. Procrastination, like perfection, is fear based. You are afraid it won’t be good enough so you put it off until tomorrow. But tomorrow never comes.

If you are a procrastinator, you probably wait to do things until the last minute. For example, right before the in-laws come to visit, you start cleaning the house. You may feel like your organizing will never be up to par with what you incorrectly assume is the ideal.

Both procrastinators and perfectionists can reach a point where they have put off organizing so long that now it has now become a massive job. This makes things tougher on them, when if they had been doing little things, the job of organizing the whole house would be less daunting.

It is important to know that your home does not have to be perfect. No one’s home is. Doing your best is all anyone can ask of you.

From perfection to realistic goals

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” This Chinese proverb is an example of how you can get started.

Understanding your limiting beliefs and figuring out ways to combat them will take you far in organizing. Make a to do list. Break big jobs into smaller ones. Rejoice when you complete something on your list. Being comfortable and uncluttered is better than having your home look perfect.

Rid yourself of distractions (don’t answer your phone). Delegate if possible. Don’t do anything that gets in the way of your goals. Give yourself a hard deadline. Focus on the job at hand.

The next time you realize you are procrastinating, stop and take notice. Consider whether or not it is because you fear the outcome. Once you recognize this issue, you can correct it.

As always, I’m here if you feel overwhelmed by the stuff in your home. Contact me and together we can figure out how to get your home organized.

In conclusion, are you buying or selling your home? Contact Gigi today!
Oh by the way, I’m never too busy for any of your referrals.