Most people think of perfectionism as a good trait, the kind of “weakness” you mention in a job interview because it secretly sounds like a strength. I don’t see it that way, and in this post I’ll explain why.

Is perfectionism a good thing?

It can look like one. Some people go very far with it. Martha Stewart built a whole lifestyle empire on exacting standards, and if you haven’t watched Martha, the Netflix documentary about her life, you’re in for a treat.

But the same drive that pushes some people forward paralyses others. They put off starting until they can do it perfectly, rework things that were already fine, struggle to delegate and find it hard to make decisions in case they get them wrong.

It also seems to be becoming more common. A 2026 review by Curran, Hill and Pose, which brought together 35 years of data from almost 83,000 college students in the US, the UK and Canada, found that perfectionism has kept rising, and that worrying about mistakes and about how others judge us has grown fastest of all.

How does perfectionism cause stress?

Perfectionism turns every task into a test you can fail. When the standard is “perfect”, even a very good result can feel like falling short, so the pressure never really lets up. I have yet to meet a pure perfectionist who is truly laid back. Do they exist?

At work, perfectionism often looks like this:

• rewriting a simple email several times before you send it
• struggling to delegate because nobody else will do it “right”
• delaying a task until you have enough time to do it perfectly
• working late on details nobody else would notice
• finishing a project and only seeing what could have been better

Over time, that constant self-checking takes energy you could be using elsewhere. If work stress is following you home in the evenings, my guide on how to deal with work stress [ADD LINK] looks at the causes and the signs.

Are we all perfectionists about something?

Most of us are perfectionists in one or two areas, usually the ones we care about most. In my case, it’s interior design. I like spaces to feel comfortable and balanced, and I can take ages to get them right.

I went through three sets of dining chairs before I found the right ones, and three coffee tables too. Before you picture me buying and throwing things away on a whim, I don’t. Sustainability matters to me, so I buy and sell second-hand, and the pieces that didn’t work for us went on to new homes where someone else could enjoy them.

In that one area, perfectionism costs me some time and patience, and I’m happy to pay that. The problem starts when the same standard spreads to everything: your work, your home, how you parent, how you look, how quickly you reply to messages. That’s when it stops being care and becomes pressure.

Why is good enough better than perfect?

Good enough isn’t careless. It means doing something to the standard the situation actually needs, and then moving on. Often the last stretch of polishing takes as long as everything before it, and nobody notices the difference except you.

For business owners, this matters even more. A good-enough proposal that goes out today can win the work; the perfect one still in your head can’t. A good-enough website that’s live is doing more for you than the perfect version you’re still planning. Good enough is also much healthier: it leaves time and energy for the rest of your life.

How can I stop being a perfectionist? 5 practical ways

You don’t need to stop caring about quality. The aim is to keep high standards where they count and loosen your grip everywhere else.

1. Choose where perfect matters

Pick the one or two areas where high standards really make a difference to you or your clients. For everything else, decide that good enough is the goal.

2. Decide what “done” looks like before you start

Perfectionism thrives when the finish line is vague. Before you begin a task, write down what finished looks like. When you reach it, stop.

3. Give tasks a time limit

Allow a set amount of time for a task and stick to it. You’ll often find the result is just as good, and you’ve got the rest of the time back.

4. Practise being imperfect on purpose

Start small and low-risk: send an internal email after reading it once, or share a draft before it feels ready. Notice what actually happens. Usually, nothing bad does.

5. Talk to yourself the way you’d talk to a colleague

Perfectionists are often far harder on themselves than on anyone else. If a colleague made the same small mistake, what would you say to them? Try saying that to yourself.

How can a stress management coach help with perfectionism?

A coach helps you notice where perfectionism is adding to your stress and build practical ways to manage it, at a pace that works for you. In my six-week online programme we work one-to-one, with 20 minutes of distance Reiki and 40 minutes of coaching each week. Together we look at the standards and expectations that keep you under pressure and find a way of working that fits your life. Reiki isn’t a treatment for anything, and coaching is never a substitute for medical or mental health care.

If perfectionism is eating into your evenings and weekends, you may also find my post on how to create a better work-life balance [ADD LINK] useful.

You can read more about the stress management programme for professionals, or the programme for business owners if you run your own business.

Ready to try good enough?

Book a free discovery call on Zoom and we’ll explore whether the programme is right for you. It doesn’t have to be the perfect moment. Good enough is a fine place to start.

Book a free discovery call

About the author. Natalia Arnaiz is a stress management coach and Reiki Master & Teacher working online with professionals and business owners across Ireland. She has practised Reiki since 2010 and spent more than ten years as a chemical engineer before becoming a coach in 2021. More about Natalia