‘Done’ Verses ‘Perfect’

I’ve heard it many times before as a housewife.

It’s a phrase that keeps coming back to me as I work to grow in excellence in homemaking—that ‘done is better than perfect.’ *

Perhaps it’s the myriad of tasks that need doing on any give day and the longing to do them well that makes this phrase hard to carry out. As wives and mothers—so often, we don’t have the time to do ‘x’ job as well as we’d like. This may be why it’s tempting to put off the task at hand. For example, I can always push aside the cleaning of bathrooms or chicken coops for another day. The jobs themselves are rather repugnant to me, but more than that—my temptation to put them off generally stems from a heart longing for perfection. What holds me back is that I don’t just want the jobs done—I want them done 'perfectly.’ And who’s got time for that?

Not me. Not you.

To me, this is the golden ticket towards understanding motivation. Truth be told, we all know that the desire for perfection in anything this side of Heaven (other than Christ) is absolutely futile and unattainable.

I have learned that perfectionists struggle with paralysis when it comes to ‘doing the next thing’ (to quote Elisabeth Elliot) because the idea of doing something less than ‘perfect’ is frustrating. But the truth of the matter is that in wifery and motherhood, it’s better to get the job done the best you can than to not do it at all. In essence, our not doing something because of the hope for it do be accomplished in a better—more ideal way, isn’t helping anyone.

If we’re honest, each of us has struggled with longing for perfection in our lives—whether that be in relationships, a job, our bodies—you name it. We want back to the Garden before Sin entered the picture and ruined it all.

I’m learning first hand the profound wisdom of Elisabeth Elliot’s admonishment to ‘do the next thing.’ On this side of Heaven with Sin still staining everything in sight, we must go forward and accept the imperfections that will most assuredly surround us day-to-day. Living in light of this perspective helps us to get going on our tasks because “done” is the only option. We'll never get “perfect” while living in a place wrecked by Sin.

Wrinkled sheets? Oh well, they’ll need changing out next week, anyway.

Relationships tough this week? Remember your mutual imperfections and sinful natures, forgive like Christ—and move on in love.

Bathrooms need cleaning? Do a swift dust/mop/scrub and call it ‘good enough.’

Failed in your budgeting efforts during the weekly food shop? Acknowledge your weaknesses, ask God for help, and strive to stay on budget next week.

For me, this is the key that unlocks the door to being free in my homemaking tasks. There’s no reason to let stubbornness keep me from my homemaking jobs just because I want something done in a way that meets my (often unattainable) standards.

Since ‘done is better than perfect,’ each of us can go forward by the grace of God and with the help of the Holy Spirit into today’s tasks with a heart ready to serve and do our very best work with the time we have. Let’s not inwardly make ‘perfect’ our standard, since there is only one Perfect One. Instead, let’s look to that Perfect One as we imperfectly dust, mop, parent, scrub, shop, fold, plan, budget, plant—you name it. With this in mind, we can confidently do the next thing to the glory of God and for the good of those around us.

The best part of all?

We can do these things with a smile knowing that a job well done here and now is better than a job done with perfection as the goal. Because perfection isn’t for the here and now anyway—it’s been reserved for There and Then. Rest assured dear reader, one Day—Perfect is coming.

*this quote comes from Sheryl Sandberg, COO Facebook