On paper, perfectionism sounds like a nice problem to have. After all, being dedicated towards getting the best result possible isn’t a bad thing. However, more often than not, perfectionism gets in the way of being productive. Ironically, your desire to do the best gets in the way of actually getting things done. It can be frustrating when your work doesn’t feel good enough, and it’s easy to lose motivation. So here are some tips for how to overcome perfectionism in your student career.
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Notice Your Perfectionist Tendencies
The first step is to identify the perfectionist voice in your brain. This is the voice that is hypercritical, afraid of failure, or otherwise warning you about not being good enough. This can cause you to ruminate over a project instead of actually working on it. Once you notice these tendencies, you can begin to counteract them.
Put Things In Perspective
One helpful tool is to put things in perspective. What’s the worst thing that could actually happen in this scenario? Perhaps it’s getting a failing mark. While that might be a setback, it certainly wouldn’t be the end of the world. Thinking about the bigger picture can help take some of the stress off.
Compromise
Another strategy for how to overcome perfectionism is to compromise with yourself. You might work on setting realistic goals rather than lofty expectations. You might work on reducing your effort to allow yourself more time to rest and destress. Or, you might find the positives of an outcome that wasn’t what you expected.
Enjoy The Process
One major trait of perfectionism is a focus on results. While it’s good to pay some attention to marks and feedback, it shouldn’t be the driving force behind your work. Instead of rewarding yourself for how well you do, try to reward yourself for the amount of effort you put in. Once you take that pressure off, it’s a lot easier to have fun with what you’re doing.
Work On Handling Feedback
Finally, practice taking feedback in stride. Remember that the feedback is there not as a condemnation of your abilities, but as a way for you to be able to grow and improve your abilities. The more you can separate your work from your self-worth, the more you’ll be able to handle criticism and try new strategies.
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