The Power of "Good Enough"
The Power of "Good Enough"
Part III on writing when you have multiple demands on your time
Parts I and II of the series, writing when you have multiple demands on your time, recommend that you reassess your priorities and values to determine how you want to spend the limited time you have. If you want to write and publish more, you must set clear priorities when deciding how to spend the finite resource. You can read those previous newsletters here:
Today’s newsletter urges us to embrace the power of “good enough” on select tasks and responsibilities as a strategy to reserve time for higher priorities.
110% doesn’t exist
Some of us enter academia with the mindset that we must give 110% to everything we do. As I’ve talked about before, many of us were also A+ students in undergrad who were driven by the pursuit of zero feedback for improvement—a feat that was much easier in undergrad than beyond.
But I’d argue that the reality of academic life—whether as a graduate student or a faculty member—demands that we accept that not everything can be done with A+ effort.
Embracing imperfection and aiming for "good enough" can be a game-changer for your career and well-being. It’s a simple fact that you only have 100% of your time and energy to offer any project or task you’re working on. Somehow, academics often believe they have to give 110% to multiple things and that math just doesn’t track. In fact, it can contribute to overload and burnout (although those issues are structural and not your fault).
If your priority is to write more, then other tasks and responsibilities have to be shifted to the “good enough” category.
The concept of "good enough"
The idea of "good enough" doesn't mean settling for mediocrity. Instead, it involves recognizing that striving for perfection in every task is not only unrealistic but also counterproductive. By allowing ourselves to be B+ academics strategically, we conserve energy and resources for the tasks that are more important to us or our goals.
In essence, you set your main priorities and then allow other tasks to be classified as only needing “good enough” effort. If you’ve determined that writing is a key priority, then you can carve out more time for writing by being good enough in other areas of work.
Psychological and practical benefits
Letting go of perfectionism can lead to significant psychological and practical benefits:
Reduced Stress: Perfectionism can lead to chronic stress and burnout. By aiming for "good enough," you can alleviate some of this pressure.
Increased Productivity: When you're not fixated on making everything perfect, you can complete tasks more efficiently, allowing you to accomplish more.
Enhanced Creativity: Perfectionism stifles creativity. Embracing imperfection fosters a mindset open to innovation and new ideas.
Some hypothetical but all too real examples
#1: Let’s say you feel overwhelmed by the pressure to perfect every lecture you do in your undergrad class. By adopting a "good enough" approach, you can allow your lectures to be comprehensive but not flawless. This change enables you to allocate more time to other demands on your time without compromising the quality of your teaching. By aiming for a B + (or in some cases a C+, gasp!) you are able to do other work and still maintain good pedagogy.
#2: Maybe you realized that your insistence on critique-proof your dissertation proposal is slowing you down. By submitting a proposal that is well-crafted but not flawless, you leave room for improvement based on committee’s feedback. Embracing imperfection means you can submit more quickly and move your project along, while also improving your work through constructive criticism. Your committee will always have critiques and/or additions, so why not just allow them to do their jobs with your good enough proposal?
#3: Consider your role on a departmental committee. You may feel the need to perfect each report or recommendation you offer. However, by adopting a mindset that prioritizes completion over perfection, you can present solid, workable solutions more effectively. The “good enough” approach not only reduces your workload, but it also fosters a collaborative environment in which other committee members can share valuable insights and suggestions.
Tips for Embracing Imperfection
Set Realistic Goals: Break down tasks into manageable parts and set achievable goals. Understand that it's okay if not everything is perfect.
Prioritize Tasks: Determine which tasks require your best effort and which can be done to a "good enough" standard. Concentrate your energy where it will have the greatest impact.
Accept Feedback: Use feedback as a tool for improvement rather than a measure of your worth. This makes it easier to submit something that is “good enough.”
Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself. Acknowledge your efforts and understand that imperfection is a part of the human experience.
In sum
Embracing imperfection can actually support innovation, creativity, and productivity in academia. It's a strategic approach, not a weakness, that also fosters sanity and equilibrium.
If you want to prioritize writing and publishing more, then embrace the power of “good enough.”