At the beach you relax your standards. You don’t need to fuss with the hair dryer, a bathing suit and bare feet is the dress code, and the only must-have toiletry is sunscreen. Letting go of the need to appear put together is one of the best parts of being at the beach. It’s freeing, isn’t it?

Sand gets tracked in, and wet towels hang in strange places. Perfectionism just doesn’t belong at the beach, and you happily leave it at the door.

However, the same can’t always be said when you return to normal life. It’s a common pattern: you let yourself relax at the beach, but once vacation’s over, you feel the need to appear put together—in every area of your life. The shoes go back on; the makeup routine begins again, throw pillows are fluffed and rearranged. None of those things is inherently bad, but if you’re doing them out of concern for how you and your life are perceived, maybe it’s time to think back to your days at the beach.

Remember that carefree feeling you had? It’s possible to transfer that barefoot mentality into everyday life. You just need to let go of perfectionism for a bit. Let the laundry sit for another hour while you relax with a cup of tea. Let your children jump in mud puddles without worrying about the mess. Let the pressures of today roll off your shoulders as you think back on fond memories at the beach, and walk around your house barefoot—just to remind yourself what it’s like.