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Top 5 Tips for Dealing with Perfectionism

April 2, 2020 by Jackie von Spiegel

“Perfection is the enemy of progress.” How to get out of your own way and get things done. 

1. Focus on the task instead of just the outcome

  • Think about your motivation for doing the task. What is the value of the task?
  • Perfectionism is often tied to performance-based goals (“I need to get a 100%”). Try focusing on mastery goals (understanding what you are learning) instead.

2. Just get started

  • Don’t wait until you “feel like it” – we don’t find motivation, we create it.
  • Perfectionism can lead to procrastination by focusing on easy, but less important tasks. Create a must-do list for the day with 1-3 tasks and focus on those.
  • Break up big tasks into small, feasible tasks and tackle one at a time.
  • Time yourself – start with working on one part of the task for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, you may gain more motivation to continue working for longer intervals.

3. Reevaluate your reward system

  • Use high-density fun activities (e.g., FaceTiming with friends) as rewards after hard work and avoid low-density mindless activities (e.g., scrolling social media) while working. This will be more motivating and will decrease multitasking.

4. Plan ahead and prepare for obstacles

  • Plan time to work on the task and stick to the schedule. Overestimate how much time you will need to allow for unexpected situations and setbacks.
  • Make a list of obstacles that might hinder the completion of the task. How will you deal with these obstacles? Thinking about this ahead of time will limit all-or-nothing attitudes, decrease uncertainty, and provide realistic options.

5. Make it fun

  • Practice curiosity and find humor while studying. Give yourself permission to make mistakes, as it is a necessary part of the learning process.
  • Use your favorite study methods to make the task more enjoyable (e.g., study online with a friend, use colors/pictures in your notes, turn a quiz into a game).

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Filed Under: Procrastination

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