Perfectionism is often seen as a good thing. If you do something, you do it well. That is certainly a nice aspiration. But actually being a perfectionist in everything you do is not always good for you. Here is how it works.
It takes a lot of energy to be a perfectionist
Wanting to do everything perfectly costs a lot of energy. Because of your perfectionism, you probably spend a lot more time on things that other people finish a lot faster. This costs a lot of time and energy that you could have put into other things. That’s a shame. Sometimes it’s good to take a step back from your project when you think it’s finished. This way you don’t scroll through it a hundred times or look at it from all kinds of different angles to find a mistake that you can fix. Check everything again and then leave it as it is. That saves a lot of time.
It causes a lot of stress
Besides the fact that it costs you a lot of energy and time, being a perfectionist is also stressful. You are constantly busy with whether what you do is good enough and that only makes you doubt yourself. You also keep putting yourself down with these kinds of thoughts, which is bad for your self-confidence. Having more confidence in your own abilities is the solution here. This is of course easier said than done. But you can build this confidence, for example, by looking at previous performances and feedback from others.
It’s sometimes tiring for other people too
Besides the fact that it is not pleasant for you, your perfectionism is often tiring because of someone else. For example, think of that one colleague who is waiting for your work or your fellow student who gets stressed because you still have not handed in the project. If you start thinking like a perfectionist, it is good to also take a moment to think about the people around you. What is more important? Achieving the highest possible result, or maintaining the relationship with your colleagues and/or fellow students?
You don’t often feel what it’s like to be truly satisfied with your own abilities
A problem that will arise in the long run if you are a perfectionist is that you will never be satisfied. If you don’t get a ten or a promotion from that one project, you feel like you have failed. And that is a great shame. It prevents you from seeing your achievements for what they are: achievements! Look more often at what you have already achieved and be proud of yourself. Your hard work pays off, even if the result is not perfect.
