I get it – as a Virtual Assistant, you want to do great work for your clients. You care about the details, take pride in what you do, and want your clients to be happy.
Those are all fantastic traits that clients want in a VA!
But sometimes, the desire to do great work turns into pressure to do everything perfectly.Â
You know what I mean: You spend far too long writing a simple email because you keep changing the wording. You check a project five times before sending it to your client. Or you put off promoting your business because your website, services, or social media posts don’t feel ready yet.
Perfectionism can feel like you’re being careful and responsible, but it can also leave you agonizing over every little detail, trying to make everything just right. It may even keep you from putting your business out there, which makes it difficult to grow.
So let’s talk about some ways to stop being a perfectionist in your Virtual Assistant business.
Notice Where Perfectionism Is Slowing You Down
Perfectionism doesn’t always look like perfectionism. Sometimes it looks like procrastination, indecision, or being extremely thorough.
You might be struggling with perfectionism if you:
- Take much longer than necessary to complete tasks
- Constantly second-guess your decisions
- Avoid offering a new service because you don’t feel qualified enough
- Put off launching your website until every detail is perfect
- Rewrite emails or social media posts over and over
- Have trouble submitting work without checking it repeatedly
- Compare your work to people who have been in business much longer
- Avoid trying something because you’re afraid you won’t do it well
You may think you need more time, another course, or a better plan. But sometimes you simply need to move forward before you feel completely ready.
Decide What “Done” Looks Like Before You Begin
It’s much easier to finish something when you know what finished means.
Before you start a task, decide what needs to be completed. If you’re writing a blog post, for example, you might decide it needs a clear introduction, helpful information, headings, a conclusion, and a final proofread.
Once those things are done, the post is ready.
Without a clear stopping point, it’s easy to keep changing sentences, moving sections around, and searching for more information to add.
You can always improve something later. For now, decide what is good enough to accomplish the purpose of the task.
Give Yourself a Time Limit
Perfectionism will take as much time as you give it. Trust me, I know! I now set a time limit on certain tasks I don’t want to drag on forever and ever.
For example, if you normally spend an hour writing a client email, try giving yourself 20 minutes. If you spend an entire afternoon designing one graphic, decide how long the task should reasonably take before you begin.
A time limit doesn’t mean you have to rush or turn in sloppy work. It gives you a boundary so you don’t spend hours making tiny changes that won’t affect the outcome.
When the time is up, review the work once and send it.
RELATED ARTICLE: 8 Productivity Tips for Working Smarter (Not Harder) as a Virtual Assistant
Separate Creating From Editing
Trying to create and edit at the same time can make it hard to get anything done.
You write a sentence. Then you delete it. You write another one, change two words, and start wondering whether the entire idea is any good.
Instead, give yourself permission to create a messy first version.
Write the email. Draft the blog post. Design the graphic. Outline the new service.
Once the first version exists, you can go back and improve it. It is much easier to edit something than it is to perfect every detail while you’re creating it.
Ask Yourself How Much the Decision Really Matters
Not every decision deserves the same amount of time and energy.
Choosing the legal structure for your business deserves careful thought. Choosing between two similar shades of pink for an Instagram graphic probably doesn’t. 🤪
When you catch yourself overthinking, ask:
- Will this matter next week?
- Will the client notice the difference?
- Does this change the usefulness or accuracy of the work?
- Can I change it later if I need to?
If the decision is easy to reverse and won’t have a major effect on your business, choose an option and keep moving.
Limit How Many Times You Check Your Work
Checking your work is important, especially when you’re completing a task for a client. But checking it over and over can make you doubt things that were correct the first time.
Create a simple review process for recurring tasks. You could use a checklist to confirm that you followed the instructions, checked the links, proofread the copy, and included everything the client requested.
Once you’ve completed the checklist, review your work and then submit it.
A process gives you something more reliable to trust than the feeling that you should check it “one more time.”
Let Yourself Be a Beginner
You are not going to be amazing at everything the first time you try it.
Your first discovery call may feel awkward. Your first website may not look exactly how you imagined it. Your first attempt at offering a new service may take longer than expected.
That doesn’t mean you aren’t capable. It means you’re learning.
You become more confident by doing the thing, seeing what happens, and making adjustments. You can’t gain experience while waiting until you’re guaranteed to do everything perfectly.
Remember That Your Client Isn’t Expecting Perfection
Most clients aren’t saying, “I’m looking for a Virtual Assistant who’s a perfectionist”. Instead, they’re looking for someone dependable who communicates clearly, completes the work, and makes their life easier.
If you make a mistake, correct it. If you don’t know how to do something, ask questions or learn. If a process isn’t working, adjust it.
Being trustworthy doesn’t mean never making a mistake. It means taking responsibility and handling mistakes professionally when they happen.
Focus on Progress Instead of Perfection
Perfectionism can keep you feeling busy without helping you move forward.
Your website can’t help you attract clients if you never publish it. A potential client can’t respond to an email you never send. You can’t find out whether people want your new service if you never offer it.
Done gives you information. You can see what works, what doesn’t, and what you want to improve next time.
Your work doesn’t have to be perfect to be useful, valuable, or worthy of sharing. Do your best, check your work, and then allow yourself to move forward.
If perfectionism, self-doubt, or feeling “not good enough” is holding you back, the Introvert VA Club can help. Inside the club, you’ll find a training on imposter syndrome along with a library of 90+ trainings and resources. Learn more about joining the Introvert VA Club here.
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