Perfectionism, A Reality Check

Perfectionists can waste their lives obsessing over details that other people neither care about nor notice. Minutiae that even they overlook when reviewing their work a few weeks later! When this relentless search for perfection is made a priority over all other goals it dramatically hinders effectiveness and productivity.

Here’s a reality check for the perfectionists. No matter how much time you spend fiddling around, your results still won’t be perfect! When it’s possible to tick all the correct answers, such as in a multiple choice test, perfection is attainable. In a competition, it’s possible to get a "perfect ten". However, outside of school and competitive events, perfection doesn”t really exist. As the psychiatrist Dr. Arthur Freeman, points out; "Quite often, what we call perfection is simply a matter of opinion."

When we aim for perfection, we often completely lose sight of the bigger picture: the larger context into which our work fits. If you ever find yourself paralyzed by perfectionism then it’s time to get a fresh perspective and see the bigger picture. Here are some simple strategies:

• Before beginning a project and getting enmeshed in a perfectionistic anxiety spiral, it’s important to decide just how "perfect" this particular task needs to be. Rank it clearly, from just acceptable to perfection, score 1-5.
• Be acutely sensitive to the law of diminishing returns, it can provoke a change of outlook. Remind yourself of those times when you felt that you”d just done okay and others thought your work was great.
• No matter the time crunch, it’s imperative that you take a break. The big picture grows dim when you stare at a project for too long and it becomes progressively more difficult to keep a balanced outlook on your work. Exhaustion breeds an unhelpful intensity and minuscule "errors" metamorphose into frustrating "disasters" when examined through the crazy lenses of a tired mind.

Something to think about,

Steve