For several years, I have kept two to-do lists for work (that’s how much I love them—one just wasn’t enough). One of my lists contains tasks that require deep, focused work and demand a decent chunk ...

Before I started my own company, I worked as a software developer for a New York media company. I had a colleague—let’s call him Neil—who was a brilliant designer. But he was also a perfectionist.

Lindsey Ellefson is Lifehacker’s Features Editor. She currently covers study and productivity hacks, as well as household and digital decluttering, and oversees the freelancers on the sex and ...