How Perfectionism Was Wrecking My Time—and How I Turned It Around

I used to think perfectionism would make me more productive. If I just did everything flawlessly, my time would be well spent, and I’d get everything done. But in reality? I spent hours tweaking little details on projects that didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. I’d get stuck in the weeds, feeling like I was constantly behind.

It wasn’t until I realized that perfectionism was actually stealing my time that I started shifting my mindset. I didn’t need everything to be perfect to make progress. In fact, not striving for perfection helped me move forward faster and with less stress.

Where Perfectionism Took Root

Looking back, I can see where my perfectionist tendencies started. Growing up in a culture that valued “looking and being perfect” shaped the way I saw success. On top of that, my desire to be a “good” Christian led me to believe I had to meet impossibly high standards. While I’ve always known that God doesn’t ask for perfection, the environments I was in made it feel like I had to strive for it anyway.

Over the past 10 years, I’ve restructured my beliefs around this. I’m still “recovering” from perfectionism, but I’ve realized that letting go of the need to have everything just right is actually freeing.

A Wake-Up Call About Time

Perfectionism isn’t just about high standards—it’s about time. And I was reminded of this in a big way recently.

My daughter just turned 21. Twenty-one. I can still see her as a little girl, dancing around the house in dress-up clothes, asking a million questions. And now, she’s an adult. Time moves, whether I manage it well or not.

For years, I wasted so much time redoing things, overthinking decisions, and spending way too long on tasks that should’ve been quick. I’d tell myself I was being productive, but really? I was just stuck. And all the time I spent tweaking, perfecting, and making things “just right” was time I wasn’t spending on what mattered most—my family, my passions, or even just enjoying the moment.

How I Took Back My Time

If I could go back and give myself one piece of advice, it would be this: set limits on your time and trust yourself to be done.

Here’s what helped me break the perfectionism trap:

• Set time boundaries. If something should take 30 minutes, I set a timer and move on when it goes off—even if it’s not “perfect.”

• Recognize when you're stuck. If I catch myself over-editing, I ask, “Is this actually making a difference, or am I just avoiding moving on?”

• Embrace “good enough.” Done is better than perfect. Letting go of perfection means gaining back time for the things that truly matter.

How Your Enneagram Type Might Struggle with Perfectionism and Time

The Enneagram is a great tool for understanding why we get stuck in perfectionism. While anyone can struggle with time management, each type has its own tendencies that can lead to perfectionism creeping in.

Type 1 (The Perfectionist)

You hold yourself (and sometimes others) to impossibly high standards. You can spend way too much time refining, correcting, and making sure everything is done “the right way.” The key for you? Practice trusting that good enough really is enough and set firm time limits on tasks.

Type 2 (The Helper)

You want to be there for everyone, which means you can overcommit, leaving little time for yourself. You might also spend extra time making sure everything you do for others is just right. The key? Learn to say no and trust that people value your presence more than perfection.

Type 3 (The Achiever)

You tie your worth to achievement, so you might overwork or spend extra time making sure things look impressive. Your drive for success can make you feel like more is always better, even when it's not. The key? Define success by what truly matters, not by how much you accomplish.

Type 4 (The Individualist)

You want your work to feel meaningful, which can lead to over-editing, tweaking, or delaying completion because something “doesn’t feel right yet.” The key? Set deadlines and remember that done is better than perfect. Your creativity doesn’t have to be flawless to be impactful.

Type 5 (The Investigator)

You love knowledge and can spend endless time researching or preparing before taking action. Perfectionism might show up as never feeling “ready” to start. The key? Take action sooner than you think you’re ready—learning happens in the doing.

Type 6 (The Loyalist)

You tend to second-guess decisions and over-prepare to make sure everything is safe and secure. This can make simple tasks take far longer than they should. The key? Remind yourself that most decisions aren’t permanent, and trust that you’ve done enough.

Type 7 (The Enthusiast)

You like to keep things fun and exciting, so you may struggle with time management by jumping from one thing to another. Perfectionism might show up as avoiding tasks that feel boring or difficult. The key? Use time-blocking to stay on track and resist the urge to chase the next exciting thing before finishing.

Type 8 (The Challenger)

You take charge and like things done your way, which can lead to perfectionism in control—you might believe that if you don’t do it, it won’t be done right. The key? Let go of the need to control every outcome and delegate when possible.

Type 9 (The Peacemaker)

You don’t want to cause conflict or make mistakes, which can lead to procrastination or spending extra time trying to make sure everyone is happy. The key? Set firm start and stop times for tasks, and trust that your voice and decisions matter.

What Letting Go of Perfectionism Gave Me Back

For me, learning to set limits on how long I spend on tasks, trusting my instincts, and letting “good enough” be enough has been life-changing. For you, it might mean challenging the inner critic that tells you it has to be perfect or reminding yourself that progress matters more than flawlessness.

Because at the end of the day, I don’t want to spend my life perfecting the small things while missing the big moments. Time is too precious for that.

So if you find yourself stuck in perfectionism, I want to encourage you—set a time limit, trust your instincts, and let “good enough” be enough. You’ll be amazed at how much time you get back.