The 3 times you should lower your standards to increase productivity

Although it pains me, striving for “good enough” is a great productivity strategy.

I have blogged before about being a “recovering perfectionist” – read “Confessions of a Recovering Perfectionist” www.valeriemacleod.com/confessions-of-a-recovering-perfectionist

I am working on lowering my perfectionist tendencies to be more productive. Here are a few times when shooting for “good enough” is your best strategy:

1. When you are in a time crunch. If you have very little time, start your planning for a “good enough” strategy from the onset. Don’t even consider working towards anything better than “good enough.” Remember the project triangle - the quality of a project is constrained by the project’s budget, deadlines and scope. Keep your scope at the 80% solution when deadlines are tight.
2. When feedback says it meets expectations. Your standards might be higher than most people’s around you – and they probably are if you are reading this. If people you value and trust tell you it’s “good enough” then STOP!
3. When it will do the job. You might want to add a few tweaks or options, but if the product will do the job, then you shouldn’t be putting in extra time and effort to go beyond that. I know you’d rather it be a little bit more perfect. But if it’ll do the job, then finish the project and get onto something else.

Productivity means you can’t strive for perfection. It means you have to settle for the 80% solution – or maybe even the 70% answer.

Being productive means doing your tasks within reasonable quality and time restraints, but if your standards are higher than most people you work with consider going for “good enough” in order to increase your productivity.

Do you need some coaching on being more productive and less of a perfectionist? Contact me at Valerie.MacLeod@HainesCentre.com Let’s talk!