Progress Over Perfection

Perfectionism is the mountain that has no peak…..such a great quote provided by Emma Norris! In today’s fast-paced, competitive world so many of us believe we can and should strive for perfectionism in all aspects of our lives. But this can lead to more stress than reward. Progress Over Perfection instructs us to prioritize boundaries, balance and progress for a more fulfilling life. The takeaway tips provided are helpful and practical. The overall message of the book is inspiring and grounding. The tone is conversational and educational. Five stars!

I loved this book, I thought it was a brilliant resourceful book for those struggling with perfection. I feel like I took a lot away with me and it feel like I was able to relax a little more. I also liked the use of the colours within the book, I thought that was soothing and relaxing. Definitely one for the book shelf to keep referring to when you’re in a slump.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

This is a lovely little book. The color palette and pallets are beautiful. They are both calming and engaging making this self-help book seem warm instead of commanding.
Emma Norris did well making teh text easy to read and understand. She also makes great use of pull quotes, sidebars and bullet points. Each one breaks down teh important parts for teh reader so there is no confusion.
I got a lot out of Progress over Perfection; it taught me something I really needed to learn.

This is a somewhat motivational book and guide. It goes over how to make goals and be mindful of what it is you’re doing. Ways to keep track of your goals and to stride for progress.

This is a high level easy read book on beating perfection and making progress towards your goals. It includes lots of other areas too and is presented in a conversational way. It is good for dipping into and doesn't go into any real depth. Great for people new to self help or anyone just wanting a pick me up. The design of the book is very calming too with its lovely gentle artwork and well spaced out uncluttered pages. It is a good book to gift or to keep on your desk for a bit of light therapy during the day.

Note: I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Progress Over Perfection breaks the myth that productivity is about spending every minute possible on legitimate projects. Using the concept of mindful productivity, Norris shows readers how to prioritize effectively and schedule enough time to recharge. With these methods, Norris proves to readers the importance of taking time to oneself before taking on big projects and reaching out to others.

Before becoming a book blogger/reviewer, I was a personal development and lifestyle blogger, which is what Norris does as well. That being said, a lot of the topics covered in this book are topics I'm very familiar with. Some are ones I'm still working on/discovering myself in my career. Others cover topics well-known to personal development content creators, such as time-blocking, practicing mindfulness, and discovering one's self-worth. And while this book only covers these topics and tips at a high-level, it is a good start to making healthy habits and changes to everyday life and work.

Throughout the book, there are different sections that fit under the productivity umbrella, from goal-setting to designing your perfect day. In each chapter, Norris explores the concept and provides tips and action items to get started. There are also interactive pages in each book that provides activities such as questions and visualizations. These help the reader apply the concepts to their everyday lives.

A big theme in this book is how easy it is to give to others without making room for self-care. This includes not taking the time to take care of one's own needs, or saying yes to everything out of guilt. The book also discusses the true definition of perfectionism, and how most perfectionists don't realize that the definition applies heavily to them. These were the two most valuable concepts in the book. I find with many people (especially myself) that setting boundaries is incredibly difficult if you're a people-pleaser. And if either of these things apply to you, Progress Over Perfection provides actions that you can take to ensure that you're setting boundaries and giving yourself the care that you need in order to stay productive.

While Progress Over Perfection does provide tips and direction on a variety of topics related to productivity and personal development, it does take these topics from a high-level. If you've been reading books like these for a while, or otherwise familiar with a lot of these topics through blogs or videos on these topics, many of them may be very familiar to you. Additionally, if you've been working in your field for a while, you've probably learned about much of the topics covered here through experience. And while the author does provide a variety of examples, from content creators to office employees to mothers, this book does have a specific target audience. I'd recommend this book most to those just starting out in their careers, in school, or in their early twenties. Not to say that older audiences can't benefit from the topics presented here, but I think most of the topics will be new to those who have less experience in their fields or don't engage with this kind of content often.

Overall, Progress Over Perfection is a good starting point for those looking to find balance in their lives. It provides many action items for people who want to work on mindful productivity and need a place to start.

This is a great read for anyone looking for inspiration, motivation, or wanting to rid themselves of perfectionist tendencies. Filled with beautiful illustrations, it's like going on a journey and is very fun to read. Beautiful message and delivered in an equally beautiful package.

What an amazing book, I'm going read and re-read this again and again. I feel like it was written for me, especially regarding my terrible habits of failing at multitasking and every diet healthy eating change I've ever tried to make.

I feel this will help in all aspects of life, home, work, health etc. The book is beautiful and made me feel better just looking at it. Thank you for the great advice Emma.