The High Cost of Perfectionism: How it Can Impact Your Mental Health and Productivity
By causing you anxiety and stress, and leading you to self-doubt.
Perfectionism is a trait that is often associated with high standards, meticulousness, and attention to detail. However, the reality of perfectionism is that it can be a silent killer, and can lead to anxiety, indecisiveness, and self-criticism.
In this article, we’ll explore the effects of perfectionism, the reasons why someone may be a perfectionist and practical examples of how perfectionism can affect your work. We’ll also discuss how to break free from the cycle of perfectionism and the benefits of making mistakes in one’s career.
The Effects of Perfectionism
Perfectionism is often associated with anxiety and the fear of failure. When you are striving for perfection, you may become overwhelmed with anxiety and stress over the possibility of making mistakes or not meeting your own expectations.
This anxiety can lead to a lack of productivity and indecisiveness. It can also lead to something called analysis paralysis, where you might find yourself spending an excessive amount of time overthinking decisions and being unable to move forward with a project.
Given this, self-criticism can also be a consequence of perfectionism, as you can get overly harsh and judgmental of yourself, leading to a negative self-image.
The Reasons for Perfectionism
Perfectionism can come from a variety of reasons, and understanding these underlying causes can be helpful in overcoming it.
One reason why someone may be a perfectionist is a desire to please others and gain their approval. In some cases, individuals may feel that their self-worth is tied to their ability to achieve perfection and gain validation from others. This can create a vicious cycle of constantly going for perfection, leading to increased anxiety and stress.
Another reason could be to cope with anxiety or feelings of insecurity. Individuals may feel a sense of control and mastery over their environment, which can provide temporary relief from anxiety. However, over time, this coping mechanism can become counterproductive, leading to increased anxiety and negative self-talk.
Perfectionism can also be a learned behavior, where individuals have been conditioned to strive for perfection from a young age. This could be due to societal or cultural expectations, as well as pressure from parents or authority figures.
For example, a child who receives praise only when they achieve perfect grades may internalize the belief that anything less than perfection is unacceptable. This conditioning can lead to a persistent and often unrealistic desire for perfectionism in adulthood.
Practical Examples
Some practical examples of how perfectionism can affect one’s work can be seen in matters related to design and branding.
Using a personal example:
The design platform Canva offers a range of templates and tools that allow users to create visually stunning designs quickly and easily.
However, the abundance of options can make the process of creating a simple design overwhelming, leading to a love/hate relationship with the platform.
Perfectionists may spend hours tweaking and adjusting their designs, unable to let go until it meets their standards of perfection.
I have recently created a Glossary for terms related to AI on Canva. Interestingly enough, the time spent on selecting the design and images was almost equal to the time I spent on writing and organizing the content within the file.
How to Overcome Perfectionism
Breaking free from perfectionism requires a shift in mindset. Instead of striving for perfection, one should focus on progress and growth.
It’s a good thing to be meticulous and detail-oriented, but it’s equally good to know when to let go of a project and embrace mistakes as opportunities for growth.
Mistakes are a natural part of the creative process. Trying to be perfect is not only unrealistic, but can also be detrimental to one’s mental health and productivity.
By learning to let go of the need for perfection, individuals can unlock their creativity and achieve their goals with greater ease and satisfaction.
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Tiago
