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Give Yourself A Break – You’re Not Supposed to Be Perfect

Every day I’m annoyed that I’m not perfect. I want to be a combination of Mary Poppins, Super Woman, and Kate Middleton, but I’m not. I’m a business owner, working mom, who hasn’t seen the inside of a gym since my son was born, who recommits to better self-care every day, only to break that commitment in eleven different ways by 10:00 am.

Some days are going to be bad. On those bad days, it’s easy to feel like we’re messing things up and that we are indeed a mess. Instead, give yourself a break. The thing to know and remember, in the moment, is that you’re a human being, doing the best you can.

realistic expectations

Here is a list of five ways to give yourself a break and as a result, do your best work.

    1. Set realistic deadlines so you’re not constantly running against time, and overestimate how long everything will take to do.
    2. Before agreeing to a new commitment, ask yourself, “Do I really want to do this?” Try not to commit yourself to things you know, at your core, you don’t want to do. You’ll just resent that commitment when it rolls around and aren’t likely to do your best work.
    3. Turn off the alerts on your phone and laptop when you’re working. You’ll be more focused and get more work done.
    4. Take a day off. Your company offers vacation time for a reason. People do better work when they take time to relax and rejuvenate.
    5. Say “thank you” more and “I’m sorry” less. “Thank you for letting me know” is more empowering than “I’m sorry I missed that.” I’m guilty of apologizing for everything, so much so that one of my employees and I play a game that whoever says she’s sorry first has to throw a dollar in a communal collection pot. Whatever you put attention on will improve.

Some of these things are business focused, some are personal. You bring yourself – your whole self – to work. It’s why you’re good at what you do. People want to work with real people. And real people over commit, make mistakes, and spend too much time on social media at 11:30 pm. Give yourself a break.

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About 

Shari Harley is the founder and President of Candid Culture, a Denver-based training firm that is bringing candor back to the workplace, making it easier to give feedback at work. Shari is the author of the business communication book How to Say Anything to Anyone: A Guide to Building Business Relationships that Really Work. She is a keynote speaker at conferences and does training throughout the U.S. Learn more about Shari Harley and Candid Culture’s training programs at www.candidculture.com.

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One Response to “Give Yourself A Break – You’re Not Supposed to Be Perfect”

  1. Sandra Kanigowski says:

    Thank you for this insight. And yes, I’m that person will say “I’m sorry” if it rains on your picnic. I know I can’t control the weather but feel that I should apologize for Mother Nature. Reading this bit of Monday morning inspiration generated an overall feeling of relief.
    Words are powerful and you have a gift to make an impact on the lives of so many who take the time to listen. I know they help me. (Proper use feedback I hope!)

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