Many of us have big ideas and dreams we want to release into the world but something keeps holding us back.
We start talking about it, write out what we want to do, take some classes if needed and still procrastinate when it is time to get started.
If you are currently feeling stuck or stagnant this post is for you. Slow down to read what I am about to share with an open mind.
All of us are born with certain talents, personality traits, temperaments and strengths. Our life experiences can alter who we are and how we show up in the world either negatively or positive.
There may be one person you admire because they seem to be go after what they want and appear very successful in life. You wonder what they have that you don’t and if you are not careful may feel a little jealous of them.
I am here to help you uncover what may be holding you back and give you that boost you need to move forward.
Let me share some stats with you so you don’t think you are the only one in the world doing this thing called procrastination via perfectionism.
General Stats of Procrastination
- 20% of individuals identify themselves as chronic procrastinators as per Joseph Ferrari, PhD
- Distraction was found to be the most common reason for procrastination (48 percent). This is followed by feeling overwhelmed and unable to decide where to start (40 percent). (StudyMode Student Psyche Report)
- The perfectionist is a type of procrastinator according to Sean Clark
What is perfectionism?
Perfectionism, involves a tendency to set standards that are so high they either cannot be met or are only met with great difficulty.
Perfectionism is the tendency to demand of others or of oneself an extremely high or even flawless level of performance, in excess of what is required by the situation. It is associated with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and other mental health problems. APA dictionary of Psychology
How to recognize perfectionism
Do I have trouble meeting my own standards?
Have I been told that my standards are too high?
Do my standards get in my own way? For example, do they make it difficult for me to meet deadlines, finish a task, trust others, or do anything spontaneously?
Examples of perfectionistic behaviour:
- Chronic procrastination, difficulty completing tasks, or giving up easily
- Overly cautious and thorough in tasks (e.g. spending 3 hours on 1 task that takes others 20 minutes to complete)
- Become very controlling in your personal and professional relationships
- Become obsessed with rules, lists, and work, or alternately, become extremely apathetic
Step 2: Tools to overcome perfectionism
a) Realistic thinking
Some examples of positive realistic statements
“All I can do is my best!”
“Making a mistake does not mean I’m stupid or a failure. It only means that I am like everyone else – human. Everyone makes mistakes!”
“It’s okay not to be pleasant all the time. Everyone has a bad day sometime.”
b) Perspective taking
- Adults with perfectionism also tend to have a hard time seeing things from another person’s point of view. That is, they tend not to think about how others might see a situation.
c) Looking at the big picture
Adults with perfectionism tend to get bogged down in details and spend a lot of time worrying about ”the little things” (e.g. what font to use in an email). One helpful strategy to worry less about details is to ask yourself the following questions:
- Does it really matter?
- What is the worst that could happen?
- Will this still matter tomorrow? How about next week? Next year?
Check this website out as a resource www.anxietycanada.com
I hope after reading this post you will make a decision to work on taking small steps to improve your well being by speaking to your doctor or a therapist to help manage your life.
The power of doing anything with quickness is always prized much by the possessor, and often without any attention to the imperfection of the performance.
“You are designed to live an optimum life”
Sybil F. Bull~Optimum Cultivator
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