How to Stop Perfectionism Draining Your Energy with the Two-List Method

Welcome to your escape route from exhaustion. If you've ever felt drained by trying to do everything perfectly, you're not alone—and there's a brilliantly simple way out. The two-list method helps you stop perfectionism from stealing your energy and confidence. By sorting tasks into 'Do Well' and 'Do Adequately', you'll discover where your best effort truly matters and where 'good enough' is actually perfect.

Sort Your Tasks: Create Your 'Do Well' and 'Do Adequately' Lists

Grab a notebook and draw two columns. Label the first 'Do Well'—this is where you'll list the tasks that genuinely deserve your A-game. Think about what truly matters to you or where your effort creates meaningful impact. Perhaps it's a work project you're passionate about, preparing for an important presentation, or spending quality time with loved ones.

Now label the second column 'Do Adequately'. This is your permission slip to be brilliantly average. List the tasks that simply need to be done to an acceptable standard, not a gold-star one. Consider these examples:

• Daily household chores (a tidy-enough kitchen beats a spotless one if it frees time for what you care about)
• Routine email replies (one pass is often plenty)
• Basic meal prep (nutritious doesn't mean Michelin-starred)
• Social media scrolling (yes, even this can go in 'Do Adequately')

This honest self-evaluation instantly reduces pressure. You're not lowering your standards everywhere—you're being strategic about where excellence actually serves you.

Focus Your Best Energy Where It Truly Counts

Now that you've identified your 'Do Well' tasks, it's time to protect them fiercely. Schedule your high-energy time—whether that's your morning clarity or your afternoon flow state—for these priority items. This is where you'll channel your sharpest focus and deepest effort.

For your 'Do Adequately' tasks, set simple limits that prevent perfectionism from sneaking back in. Try these boundaries:

• A 10-minute tidy instead of a deep clean
• One draft of an email instead of five rewrites
• A 'good enough' outfit choice instead of a wardrobe crisis
• Batch-processing routine tasks during lower-energy windows

The magic happens when you stop draining yourself on low-impact tasks and start stacking meaningful wins where they actually count. You'll notice your energy levels stabilising and your confidence growing as you consistently deliver excellence in the areas that matter most to you.

Embrace 'Good Enough' for Everything Else

Here's a truth that might feel uncomfortable at first: accepting 'good enough' isn't settling—it's strategic brilliance. When you right-size your effort, you build genuine confidence where it counts and make peace with imperfection everywhere else. This is how you protect your self-esteem whilst getting more done.

Review your lists monthly. As life changes, tasks will naturally shift between columns. What required your best effort last month might become routine this month. A hobby that was just 'adequate' might spark new passion and deserve to move up. This flexibility keeps the system working for you, not the other way round.

Remember, perfectionism often masks itself as high standards, but it's actually an energy thief that leaves you exhausted and doubting yourself. The two-list method helps you spot the difference and reclaim your power.

Many people with neurodivergent brains find this approach particularly liberating, as it provides clear structure whilst removing the paralysing pressure of trying to excel at absolutely everything.

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