How Do Perfectionists Relieve Stress? 3 strategies

Here are the top 3 strategies I, a perfectionist, actually tried and chose to relieve stress! Ways to unwind when you’re feeling stressed

5 min readMar 21, 2024

How do you guys relieve stress?

Exercise? Drinking? Dancing or reading a book? Everyone has their own way, but they all find it in something they’re familiar with.

What situations usually cause people stress?
While there might be some differences, most of the time it’s from relationships. The more we interact with someone — be it bosses, colleagues, friends, family, or partners — the more often stress pops up.

People who are caught up in perfectionism tend to feel more stressed than average folks. They have a lower limit of stress compared to most people, meaning they react sensitively to everything.

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Consider this scenario:
“Let’s just take it easy, take it easy ~”

Hearing this can really annoy perfectionists.
They’d rather not do it at all than do it half-heartedly.
The idea of doing things “half-heartedly” is utterly unacceptable to them, almost as if it’s denying their very existence.

You might think there’s no stress in office life, but it’s more like a shadow that follows you around. A certain amount of stress can be motivating, but as we all know, office life itself can be inherently stressful.
In other words, it’s both a source of motivation and stress.

So, how should we relieve stress?

I’m about to share some ways I relieve stress as a perfectionist.
Since I tend to feel more stressed than the average person, these might not be the ultimate solutions, but I hope you’ll find them somewhat relatable.

1. Just Start Walking

First off, I walk. Those of you who have seen my 10,000 steps a day challenge know that I’m pretty good at walking more than it seems.
The reason is simple: to escape from stress.

Walking melts the stress away.
Even if it’s not stress, it helps me get out of my head.
I usually go for a walk after lunch.
Given my mostly sedentary job, moving around a lot definitely feels better.

Focusing on my steps makes my mind feel lighter, thanks to the endorphins that ease muscle pain and improve mood. After a good walk and returning to the office, I cool down with a glass of cold water, feeling my body heat up. Before I know it, my mind is at peace, and I seem to focus better on my work.

After trying various methods, walking turned out to be the simplest and most effective.

2. Read or Write Anything

I don’t read books that often, but when my mind is full,
I either dive into a long read or jot down thoughts in my phone’s notepad.

It’s for a similar reason to walking. Initially, I started by repeating simple actions to escape my current situation.
Once it became a habit, I now find myself reading or writing something to calm down when I’m faced with a slightly complex situation or feel frustrated.

Being honest with my emotions is crucial, so I either unravel my current emotional state logically through writing or read something that can replace or articulate my feelings. Instead of looking for solutions, I just pour out my feelings in a disorganized way.
Sometimes, I even look up and record tips on how to navigate life.

Though it might seem cumbersome, it’s more effective than walking when my emotions hit their peak.
Sometimes, reading what I’ve written feels like I’m making excuses for logically doing nothing wrong.
Nonetheless, I find it a good method to focus on my emotions.

If you’re struggling with emotional regulation due to stress,
why not try pouring your heart into writing?

3. Cook or Explore Culinary Delights

This part is about personal preference and finding a way to change the atmosphere through unique experiences.

I personally love food and enjoy discovering new flavors and cooking methods.
Nowadays, I mostly cook at home, but I used to enjoy queuing up at popular eateries.

Tasting and recording flavors, applying them to my own recipes,
and focusing on food allowed me to enjoy deviating from the norm.

Proud to be a self-proclaimed foodie, recommending places and talking about delicious food with others quickly makes me forget about stressful situations. Being immersed in new experiences, not just food or cooking, is incredibly effective.

Given my tendency to obsess over perfection, occasionally indulging in free-spirited and unpredictable situations as hobbies seems to be the best way to relieve stress.

How do you relieve stress?

These methods might be from perfectionists, but they’re not that special. The difference might be in a more proactive approach to solving them. Maybe it’s because we want to relieve stress perfectly.

Since avoiding stress is impossible, it’s important to manage it well.
The method should come from hints in our own lifestyle.
Moving around, getting distracted, exposing ourselves to new experiences or environments — there’s no right answer.
Because there’s a method that suits each of us.

Wouldn’t it be nice to share any good methods you know?

If you spot any mistakes in the info above, don’t hesitate to give me a shout!

Thank you 😊

💚 Your cup of coffee is a big help in running my blog 💚
☕ Buy me coffee please ~ ^_^ buymeacoffee.com/Eva ☕

How Do Perfectionists Relieve Stress? 3 strategies

Here are the top 3 strategies I, a perfectionist, actually tried and chose to relieve stress! Ways to unwind when you’re feeling stressed

How do you guys relieve stress?

1. Just Start Walking

2. Read or Write Anything

3. Cook or Explore Culinary Delights

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Written by Eva