I'm sitting here early on a Saturday morning, wrapped in a blanket, in pyjamas, listening to Lana Del Rey crooning on, (guilty pleasure), the birds chirp madly outside. Last night's makeup is smudged unceremoniously around my face, my hair is sticking up, and I don't smell very good ...and that's okay.
Whenever I think about working on my website or writing blog posts, I think of sitting down at my computer in a meticulously clean space, hair done, tasteful outfit on, (possibly a few lbs thinner), a gorgeous teacup by my side filled with beautiful tea from Murchies.
Maybe it's because it's a passion project - I feel there should be some ceremony around it. It's my chance to do something for myself. Some people go get a pedicure - I work on my website. This line of thinking leads to a lot of procrastination. How can it ever be perfect enough? How can I be perfect enough to work on it? Perfectionism rears its ugly and unproductive head.
It could be due to Blogabiodysphoria (maybe all those medical terminology class weren't in vain? ) Blog - bio (life) dysphoria - (dissatisfaction). It's a principle that fairly established in the blog reading world when people only output the beautiful things in life - the perfectly staged vignettes, smiling children, amazing artwork... It's hard not to feel envious and start comparing your hectic, un-entrepreneurial existence. Sometimes an especially long session on Instagram is enough to want to pack up, move to America, become a housewife and have three kids in a house that costs less than a bachelor suite.
Despairing aside - as a designer - I love the perfectly staged vignettes. It appeals to my sense of order and aesthetic. In a busy, utilitarian world, it's nice to have a bit of fantasy. You clean for house guests, why wouldn't you spruce things up for a blog post about your office? It shows a pride in your work to put your best foot forward. If you're a fashion blog - you're going to showcase your cutest outfit. A craft blog? I bet your step by steps are going to be nicely photographed. There's nothing wrong with that. It's also nice to be human, don't get me wrong. (Did I not start this post out talking about being in pjs with bedhead?)
Your best foot can be a bit of pressure, especially when you're designing for yourself. What is my best foot? I think I've had at least three completely different logos, colour schemes and two different Wordpress themes as a basis for this blog. As this project dragged on throughout the (I'm sad to say it) years ... it expanded and more aspects would be added. It's become a bit of a monster, so I'm taking a leaf out of Nike's book and employing the "Just do it" slogan.
“Hack away at your projects - it’s not as glamorous, but it’s so much more satisfying”
What if it's not finished? What if I add a section in later? If I wait until I'm entirely happy, I don't think Teacups & Spectacles will ever exist... and I'm enjoying writing this post. I'm looking forward to see how it develops and grows - and you can't micromanage that. So occasionally I'll be typing with my nails painted a pretty colour, or will be having an exceptionally good eyebrow day with an uncluttered desk. But the stars don't need to align to get to work. Hack away at your projects - it's not as glamorous, but it's so much more satisfying.
There's a great podcast I've been listening to: Sarah R Bagley - a recovering perfectionist's guide to living a B+ life. If you find yourself nodding while reading this post, this podcast is for you!
Thanks for reading,
- Karen
