A word on perfectionism and how to overcome it
A perfectionist is someone who needs to get everything right. It is impossible to get everything right all of the time so perfectionists will end up feeling like a failure. It may be that you produce good quality work sometimes, but this might leave you feeling anxious and stressed.
Being a perfectionist at work can also stop you from taking risks and might stop you from being open to new ideas, it will also slow down the amount of work you are able to do. Try reducing the standards of your work to 70% of what you would normally do.
Try to work out where your need for perfection came from. Were you told as a child that anything less than 100% wasn't good enough? Perfectionism hides fears that you might not yet recognise in yourself. Such as the need for approval, the fear of disappointing other people or of losing control.
Be specific about the tasks you need to get done. Saying "I need to sort this mess out" is not as useful as setting aside one hour only to work on clearing out a room. Set time limits and stick to them.
Resist the need to check things over and over again. This can become addictive and is rarely a good use of time. Leave things not quite right, or untidy and put up with the anxiety until it passes. Use the various stratigies mentioned on this website for coping with anxiety.
Challenge yourself to tell someone about one of your weaknesses. Show them that you are average and check how they react? Do they seem more relaxed with you?
Enjoy the moment. Enjoy the journey. You don't have to focus on the end result or destination all of the time. Appreciate the things that are around you in the moment.
