Stress management is a crucial skill in today’s fast-paced world, and learning to let go of perfectionism can be a game-changer. This article presents practical tips from experts to help you manage stress and embrace a more balanced approach to life. From visualization techniques to time management strategies, these insights offer valuable tools for anyone looking to improve their well-being and productivity.

  • Visualize Loving Eyes for Self-Compassion
  • Embrace the 80% Rule for Progress
  • Recognize Your Effort Exceeds Others’ Best
  • Try New Activities to Gain Perspective
  • Set Time Limits to Prioritize Completion

Visualize Loving Eyes for Self-Compassion

One stress management technique I recommend for those who struggle with perfectionism is the ‘loving eyes’ visualization. This involves picturing a younger version of yourself, perhaps a child or teen, who first began to carry the heavy burden of needing to be perfect. In your mind’s eye, you gently look at them with love, tenderness, and understanding, as if you were seeing them through the eyes of a compassionate caregiver or therapist. This practice helps soften the inner critic and reframe perfectionism not as a personal flaw, but as a protective strategy that once made sense. When I use this technique, it reminds me that I don’t have to earn my worth through flawless performance. I can honor my younger self by offering the grace she deserved.

Kaitlyn FarrellKaitlyn Farrell
Founder, Starlight Psychotherapy

Embrace the 80% Rule for Progress

One technique that has consistently worked for managing perfectionism is the “80% rule”. I started using it after realizing that chasing the final 20% of perceived flawlessness was where most of my anxiety resided. It wasn’t productivity; it was paralysis masked as high standards.

The idea is simple: deliver something when it’s 80% solid by objective standards. Then pause. Often, I’d find that feedback on the 80% was far more valuable than the extra time I’d have spent tweaking it alone. It re-trained my brain to value progress over control.

This method helps reset internal expectations. Instead of aiming for flawless, I aim for functional and review-ready. It keeps the momentum going, invites collaboration, and gently chips away at the fear of not being enough.

Dhari AlabdulhadiDhari Alabdulhadi
CTO and Founder, Ubuy Qatar

Recognize Your Effort Exceeds Others’ Best

One of the biggest mindset shifts I experienced to manage my perfectionism is understanding that my 60% effort is other people’s 100%. As a perfectionist, you make sure you have the skills and industry knowledge before committing to a task or project, so that already sets you apart from most people.

Focusing on “done” at 60-80% takes away the stress of reviewing your responses or asking everyone else for feedback to get to 100%. Because the reality is, you’ll always find something to fix, change, or second-guess that someone else can do better.

Striving for “almost perfect” or “good enough” is a wonderful exercise in setting boundaries with yourself and giving space for others to decide if your work, task, or results drive the transformation they want to experience.

Paulette PineroPaulette Pinero
Founder & Multicultural Marketer, Unstoppable Latina Marketing Agency

Try New Activities to Gain Perspective

As someone who absolutely struggles with perfectionism, I have found that trying new things in my personal life helps me manage this tendency. Picking up new hobbies, engaging in activities with friends that I’ve never tried before, or finding ways to step out of my comfort zone all force me to participate in things at which I am clearly incapable of being perfect. Engaging in these activities helps me gain perspective on the value of not being perfect at everything – the value of trying one’s best and finding positives outside of perfection, such as having fun, expanding one’s horizons, or developing new skills. All of this helps shift my mindset and combat my perfectionist instincts.

Edward TianEdward Tian
CEO, GPTZero

Set Time Limits to Prioritize Completion

Try setting a “done is better than perfect” timer. Give yourself a strict window, say, 30 minutes, to finish a task and ship it, flaws and all. It forces you to focus on progress, not polish. Perfectionists get stuck in endless tweaking, but deadlines snap you out of it. I’ve used this to break the cycle of overthinking and remind myself that most things don’t need to be masterpieces — they just need to be done. Momentum beats perfection every time.

Justin BelmontJustin Belmont
Founder & CEO, Prose