Stress & art, and dealing with life

Life can bring about a lot of stress that leads to you stressing about your life.
"My room isn't clean enough"
"I don't get to my studio enough"
"If I go to my studio my lil chihuahua is going to feel lonely"
"Oh God, am I becoming a hoarder?"
The way to solve this perpetual cycle of stressing then stressing more then freaking out is to:
Stop what you are doing
Realize you are good the way you are
You can never be perfect
Work on the things you want to do one step, or one inch at a time.
This is what I have been dealing with as an artist, who is in school, working, has the best little furry friend ever, and amazing friends & a loving boyfriend. Balancing life can be hard sometimes, for everyone. I've found doing the things mentioned previously really help me calm down.
I make lists too, and I write down things I like about myself. Doing this is like giving your mind a chill pill without the chill pills. It really helps.
And, if all else fails- it's OKAY to freak out, to feel upset. That can be just as relaxing when you have let it out.
As long as you are not hurting others, keep on doing what you are doing!!
How do other artists balance their need to create with their need to live their lives as well? Have any tips/ideas?