Perfectionism is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it means you have high work standards that companies desire. On the other hand, it might lead to unnecessary stress or make you a difficult person to work with.
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Statistics from the Psychological Bulletin reveal that over the past 25 years, more people have become perfectionists across all age groups. This trend is largely attributed to social media, which fosters self-comparison, and increasingly competitive work environments.
Are you one of those who define yourself as a perfectionist? If so, let's explore what kind of perfectionist you are and whether you're trading perfection for something else.
1. Self-oriented perfectionism: This means you have an internal drive to make everything perfect, no matter how big or small the task. You always set high standards for yourself. For example, you might spend a long time crafting and revising an email to make it look perfect, even when there are more urgent tasks pending.
Potential Issues: You might end up wasting time and energy on tasks that aren't crucial, or setting unrealistic standards for important tasks, leading to stress, anxiety, and dissatisfaction with your work. You might procrastinate and feel bad when results don't meet your expectations.
2. Socially prescribed perfectionism: This type means you feel the expectations of those around you—whether bosses, colleagues, or family members—driving you to make everything perfect to avoid disappointing them.
Potential Issues: You may worry about how others will evaluate your work, seek approval and praise from those you work with, which is beyond your control. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy or loss of confidence when others don't respond as you hoped.
3. Other-oriented perfectionism: In addition to having high standards for yourself, you expect the same from those around you. For instance, if you're a manager, you might prefer to handle tasks yourself if you feel others aren't meeting your expectations, or you might micromanage your team's work.
Potential Issues: This can affect your relationships with colleagues, create a tense team atmosphere, and disrupt smooth workflow processes.
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While some perfectionists might not experience these issues to the extreme, if you find that perfectionism is causing significant stress—whether physically or mentally—consider these strategies to reduce its intensity: set achievable goals, define clear deadlines, celebrate small successes, view mistakes as learning opportunities, and reduce social media usage.
Most importantly, adjust your mindset to accept that “no one is perfect” and “perfection is not necessary.” By maintaining your already high standards at a level of ‘excellent’ or ‘good enough,’ you can achieve success and find happiness in your work.
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𝘙𝘦𝘧:
https://www.fastcompany.com/.../why-perfectionism-at-work...
https://www.calm.com/blog/how-to-stop-being-a-perfectionist
https://www.forbes.com/.../a-psychologist-explains-why.../
