What is more important, perfection or progress? Here’s another blog about two different things or ideas. This topic is highly relevant for me, as a stay-at-home mom of two. Anyone who aims to move forward or wants to accomplish something could also relate to it. My life, on a daily basis, is mainly composed of cooking, cleaning, making sure the household is intact while ensuring that my deliverables to my clients are met within the timeline. I have managed to have a mantra after subscribing to Marie Forleo’s newsletters. She also has a blog about this topic and I especially like her message about progress, not perfection.
Progress not Perfection
Time management is one of the most important skills I have to master early on and, to be honest, there are days that I’m still struggling. It is difficult to find your focus when you are also thinking of what to cook and feed the kids at the next mealtime. Plus, they are all over the place, asking you so many questions, sharing some ideas, or just being noisy on their own. Then, I remember my mantra, progress not perfection.
Demand your Own Space
Although, there are days when I had to put my foot down and demand space as I finish off some requirements for work. Especially when I have a tight deadline to meet and their noise is not helping at all. This whole situation gave me the idea to create a small space in our apartment just for myself. Somewhere I can work and not be disturbed, even for just a few hours. A space where I can concentrate on being able to sustain my progress, whether in my personal life or in the career I chose to invest in.
Concrete Example
This is one instance I am proud to say that I have lived my mantra, progress not perfection, and refused to be left stagnant in my current situation. It is when I have decided to start fixing and decorating my own tiny space for work and me-time.
Patience, the secret to progress
I decided to make our former laundry room my office area. I have long been wanting to have a space of my own where I can retreat to and knowing that our apartment is small, initially, I just didn’t entertain the idea. However, I realized, I can use that space and started to have it fixed. With Covid-19, it was extra challenging to hire the manpower but I decided to be patient. I had to save up more money as labor fees are more expensive because safety is of utmost priority.
At the moment, I have already hired someone to transfer the washing machine to the garage and repair the roofing. It’s a long way to go but then again, the mantra, progress not perfection, is always in place. Next, I plan to throw away stuff that does not spark joy anymore. I especially like Marie Kondo’s way of decluttering, hence, she is also an inspiration.
In Summary
This is just one of the stories I can share with you where I was able to apply progress, not perfection. My main goal in sharing my story is to let you have a glimpse of the day-to-day life of a stay-at-home-mom. How it is not a walk in the park but everyone has their own struggles. We’re just on different levels. No matter where we are at the moment, a reminder to always strive to be in progress, is always a good thing.
Perfectionism seems like a good thing at first, but then it soon takes over and becomes a goal in itself. This type of thinking often leads to depression and anxiety that cause de-motivation, and frustration. We have to avoid this by all means. With the Covid-19 pandemic, it is more crucial for everyone to take care of their mental health. This article aims to be a reminder that we need not be perfect. We just need to be in progress.
On that note, let’s take one step at a time, working towards meeting our goals. Remember to aim for progress, not perfection and we will all be fine.
