In all areas of our lives, we strive for perfection. Every project at work has to be perfect. We look for perfection in our finances. In our marriage. When raising our kids. Even mowing the lawn - we demand perfection. And to a point, that's a good thing. Doing a great job is something to be proud of, as long as you are reasonable.

Rather than stress over making every single area of your life perfect, choose some things where you accept that "Good enough is, well, good enough." Spend a reasonable amount of time and effort to do a good job. Then stop. Don't spend hours of time, and tons of energy trying to make it perfect. Not only will you exhaust yourself, you won't succeed in making everything perfect. This doesn't make you a quitter - in fact it makes you a brilliant human being.

Use your energy wisely, as it's a finite resource. Reducing stress can go a long way toward helping you live the kind of life you want for yourself. Eliminating the need to be perfect is a huge weight off your shoulders. Go ahead, try it. The next time you're working on something that isn't absolutely critical, do a good job. And then stop. Do no more, and move on to the next task. If your to-do list is complete, then it's time to rest and enjoy a little down time.