<p><span><b>If you were to do everything you’re advised to do to have a perfect, productive life, you’d basically have no time to just be alive, no matter how efficiently executed. </b></span></p><p>Separate the nice-to-have from the essential. Most advice is nice-to-have—it helps, but only a little. If you can focus on the essential things that matter for your few goals, then you can stop feeling guilty about everything else.</p><div><div><div><div></div></div></div></div><h3></h3>

The Flaw Of Perfection

<blockquote><b>It’s the constant nagging feeling that you should be doing more.</b> And if you’re not doing everything, then you’re a lazy slacker who will never reach your goals. -- Scott H. Young</blockquote><p>That’s simply not true. Even small efforts have a cumulative effect.<br></p>

Productivity guilt

<p><span><b>No one is perfect—not even the people you admire most. The reality is we can’t realistically implement every life hack out there. </b></span></p><p><span>Do not worry if something falls by the wayside. Pick it up again if you think it worked. Doing it a little is better than not doing it.</span></p>

Be Imperfect

<p>The question is never, “<i>What should I do, ideally, to solve this problem?</i>” Instead it’s always, <i>“</i><b><i>How could I do things a little differently than last time for a little better results?</i>”</b></p><div><div><div><div></div></div></div></div><p>The only thing you need to do is take one step: that’s productive enough. </p><div></div><div><div><div></div></div></div>

Start Where You’re At

As a Lifehacker reader, you probably spend some portion of your life actively trying to live better. That can look like a lot of things, but it usually includes trying to be as productive as possible. Constantly pushing yourself to be productive, however, can get pretty stressful.

Productivity guilt

Similar ideas to Productivity guilt

Productivity guilt

Analyze Yourself

You have what it takes