My Perfectionism is a Double-Edged Sword
I have always held a high-standard for my work.
I remember staying up until 10pm when I was in Year 5 to finish an assignment because it had to be something I was happy with. Perfectionism has been great until it hasn’t, and at times it can start to be more of a negative force than a positive one. I have to stop myself from getting burnt out so easily because I feel the need to be at 110% all the time.
This is how I am trying to manage my perfectionism the best I can:
Making Lists
Oh man, making lists is my favourite. Is that a weird thing to say?
When I think about what I have coming up in a week, it can seem terribly overwhelming - ‘how am I going to be able to do all this?’
I’ve learnt that I get so much satisfaction from crossing/ticking off or erasing my to-dos on a list - there’s something about watching the list get smaller and smaller that’s such a nice feeling! Breaking down big tasks into smaller pieces can make things seem more approachable when things look overwhelming.
Admittedly, there are times where I can get so focused on my lists so I’ll include very simple tasks like ‘having lunch’ so I don’t get too swept up in my work!
Sometimes I’ll go the extra step and treat myself to a chocolate after finishing a task (which can be dangerous if I’m feeling super productive), or I’ll even break up my tasks by playing a short game in between to reward myself.
Recognising Wins
When you’re working, sometimes it can be easy to remember the negatives of the day - things that didn’t go well, streams/videos not performing as well as you expect to etc.
Wins can come in all forms, no matter how big or small. You need to remind yourself that any progress you made today has brought you closer to what you’re trying to achieve.
Sometimes when I’m caught up in my work, I can forget what I have actually completed, or sometimes I don’t realise I dismiss the simplest of tasks I finish. Recognising wins is a lot easier said than done, and it takes practice.
Be kind to yourself.
It’s Okay for Things to be Not Okay
Sometimes things might not always go to plan.
For example, my stream tonight wasn’t uploading properly which caused delays and buffering issues. Even though I did everything I needed to do to prepare for the stream, the stream still fell apart - and that’s okay!
You need to allow yourself to make mistakes and know that sometimes things to turn out a little differently than you might’ve hoped for. Don’t let knock-backs stop you from persevering from what you want to do. You’ll come back stronger!
The main lesson I’ve learnt in dealing with my perfectionism is that I need to be kinder to myself. And I still need to do that.
I’m not going to sit here writing that I’ve overcome my bad habits, because I definitely haven’t - not entirely! Learning to be kind to yourself is a journey that isn’t always a straight path. You might get a little lost or even take a few steps backwards, but just keep remembering to pick yourself up.
You’ve got this.
