Putting perfectionism in its place, why it's OK to miss a deadline, and more top insights

What’s happening in the world of work: The long weekend edition of the Daily Rundown highlights the business trends, perspectives, and hot topics you need to know to work smarter. Read on and join the conversation.

Put perfectionism in its place: Striving for perfection may sound admirable, but it’s more likely to lead to anxiety and depression than improved performance, according to research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology. That’s partly because having impossibly high standards can put us in paralysis. What should we do instead? Embrace the fact that your first attempts are likely to be mediocre, or perhaps worse, writes Quartz’s Sarah Todd. Focus on the task rather than your immediate feelings. And seek out people you trust to help you improve. ? Here’s what people are saying.

We should all take a deadline breather: We’re primed to think of deadlines — a primary source of work stress — as far more strict than they actually are, according to researchers from Harvard Business School and Ohio State. After studying 10,000 employees and managers, the researchers found that extension requests were, on average, received positively and even as a sign of motivation. Many workers, particularly women employees, fear such requests indicate a lack of competence or commitment. But outside of truly urgent deadlines, managers don’t perceive extension requests in that way, regardless of gender. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Forget time. Manage your attention instead: Instead of fretting about how you are using the precious hours and minutes of your day, Wharton’s Adam Grant recommends that you focus on managing your attention instead. Notice what motivates you most during specific parts of the day and the week. Let those signals guide how you plot out your work. “Attention management is the art of focusing on getting things done for the right reasons, in the right places and at the right moments,” Grant writes. ? Here’s what people are saying.  

The perils of ‘conflict debt’: When you defer difficult conversations, avoid the people you are struggling with or cut off conflict at meetings by insisting on “discussing things offline,” you’re pushing your organisation deeper into conflict debt, argues organisational psychologist Liane Davey. And, like most debt, it will become more onerous as it grows over time: “When you’re unwilling to work through uncomfortable situations, you’re stretching your resources thin, stifling innovation and allowing risks to go unnoticed,” Davey writes. ? Here’s what people are saying.

The best kind of schedule may be an ‘unschedule’: Struggling with procrastination? Resist the urge to force yourself to get to work. Instead, psychologist Neil Fiore recommends that you use your calendar to plan activities that bring you joy and help you recharge, according to BBC Capital. Such “unscheduling” gives us a sense of control over our lives and creates moments that we can look forward to. It also leaves plenty of blank spaces in our calendar that can be devoted to work. Fiore recommends you approach these tasks in small doses, like 15-minute increments. ? Here’s what people are saying.

One last idea: Many of us are automatically inclined to brush praise under the rug, disqualifying it before we even have a chance to let such compliments brighten our day. Psychologist Joan Rosenberg recommends a simple shift that may help us reap the benefits of kind words.

“If you find it difficult to accept praise or compliments, you can start by saying a simple, sincere ‘Thank you’ or ‘I appreciate that.’ Then, take a little time later to imagine what your life would be like if you believed the words were true.”

What's your take? Join the conversations on today's stories in the comments.

— Scott Olster