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Perfectionism isn't a bad thing. In fact, it is a pretty common personality trait. People that like things to be just so and work hard to make it happen can be great friends, family members and employees to have. High achievers and goal oriented people are useful to have around.
At the same time,according to a blog on Hive, many perfectionists have trouble with procrastination. They are good at results, yet it may be hard for them to get started. Fortunately, there are many ways to beat perfectionist based procrastination.
Do you have perfectionism procrastination?
People who struggle with perfectionist based procrastination often feel overwhelmed when thinking about a task they need to perform, according to the Amy Schield coaching platform. The reason for this is that, as perfectionists, they have super high standards for their deliverables. Reaching those high standards and knowing the process involved in doing so is overwhelming to them, and can cause the person to freeze and feel unable to start the task. That’s when procrastination sets in.
Forbes reports that perfectionists not only hold themselves to excessively high standards, they are also extremely self critical. Often, perfectionists can be overly afraid of failure. Therefore, the pressure is enormous. And breaking out of the perfectionist driven procrastination cycle is hard.
If this sounds like you, you are definitely not alone. Having a hard time starting because of your perfectionism can be challenging. At the same time, don’t lose hope because there are things you can do to make it happen.
Breaking out of perfectionism procrastination
One of the best things you can do, according to Hive, is to mentally let go of the idea of a perfect start. If you are a perfectionist, you may have a vision of how you are meant to start the project or task for it to work out. Let it go. Of course that is easier said than done. But as the saying goes, done is better than perfect, and the only way to get it done is to start somewhere. Also, meeting the deadline or completing the task is a success in and of itself. Perhaps focusing on that can help you get started.
Another great way to break out of the cycle, according to Forbes, is to find the root of your perfectionism. This takes a lot of inner work and you may need the assistance of a therapist or professional. But if you are serious about getting to the bottom of the issue and learning about yourself, you should definitely try this.
Perhaps your perfectionism comes from the way you were raised, or from the culture you were brought up with. Maybe it is something you picked up in school or it could be part of your personality. Whatever the case is, you will only win from getting to know yourself better. It can help you be more kind towards yourself. And perhaps it can even help you not only start to do those overwhelming tasks, but also start to love yourself more.
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