Redefine perfect
With Liv Strawbridge
Redefine perfect
Perfectionism kills confidence. Instead of aiming for perfect, redefine perfect at 90% and get comfortable with releasing work at this level. Your standards are likely higher than most, so this mental shift can help make the seemingly impossible, possible.
By creating work that is 90% perfect you retrain your brain to take action and release your creations, rather than being paralysed by the pressure of perfectionism.
It’s unrealistic to produce work at 100% perfection all the time. In fact, allowing ourselves to create imperfect work opens up more space for play and exploration. As Femke van Schoonhoven states in her article, 'We need more shitty work', “Once you give yourself permission to produce shitty work, only then will great results come.” I highly recommend reading Femke’s full article on Medium (it’s a 4 minute read).
Identify fonts with WhatFont
WhatFont (not to be confused with WhatTheFont) is a handy Chrome extension that makes identifying fonts on websites super simple. No more digging through inspect tools or deciphering code.
How it works: When you spot a font you like, just activate the extension and hover over any text on the page to instantly see the font name. If you want even more details, click on the text to view the font weight, size, line-height, and RGB colour breakdown.
A quick, easy way to find inspiration for your own projects and speed up your workflow.
Install the WhatFont extension, or find it later in my toolkit.
Ditch the morning phone habit
I struggle with my phone habits. I'm trying to use my phone more intentionally, instead of just reaching for it whenever there's a quiet moment. I recently noticed I'd fallen into a habit of checking my phone as soon as I woke up, while still in bed. I knew it wasn't the best way to start my day, but it had become a routine.
So, I've started keeping my phone on airplane mode while I wake up, have breakfast, and get ready for the day. I can already feel a difference. Instead of feeling at the mercy of the notifications that demand attention, I feel like I'm doing mornings my way, putting my wellbeing first. I've even added an hour of phone-free writing time after breakfast.
Nicole Vignola, a neuroscientist, talks about this in her new book 'Rewire'. She explains how using your phone first thing in the morning disrupts the relaxed state we are in when we wake up:
“During the transition from sleep to wakefulness your brain is in a relaxed mental state. Your brain gradually shifts from the slower-wave brain waves to higher brain frequencies as you become more aware of your surroundings but are still in a somewhat drowsy or relaxed state. You’ll find that you’re in a more dreamy, meditative and creative state of mind, opening up a world of possibilty. But by grabbing your phone first thing in the morning, you’re skipping this essential and wonderful brain state. You have all day to be on your phone – why not capitalize on this special moment of peace and tranquility in the morning?
Is this something you struggle with? It's definitely something to think about!
