Overcoming Procrastination by Letting Go of Perfectionism
Do you push things off because you’re afraid of what starting that project entails?
Many of us who have perfectionistic thoughts, avoid projects or plans because we’re afraid of our performance levels. If we’re not going to hit the target perfectly, from beginning to end, then we don’t even want to go near the project. Not to mention all the stress we put on ourselves to do everything right. So instead of feeling stressed and overwhelmed, we, yup, avoid. Sound familiar? Well, you’re certainly not alone! Here are some tips for breaking procrastination habits and tackling those projects or tasks at hand!
Procrastination is Often a Symptom of Perfectionism
Perfectionism and procrastination are long time partners. If we’re afraid of not completing a task with absolute perfection, we push it off to avoid a sense of failure. In most cases our fear of criticism, or appearing unintelligent, or incapable prevents us from tackling tasks or projects.
Procrastination can be caused by:
Anxiety over a complicated task/expectation
Fear of imperfection
Lack of self-confidence
Priority confusion
Lack of focus
Indecision
Tips on Tackling Procrastination Linked to Perfectionism
Have you ever realized that sometimes, when you procrastinate, your procrastinating thoughts take more effort and time than the actual task? When we overthink what needs to be done and how we want to do it best, we may be inflating the entire situation beyond its actual scope. Here are some tips to stay grounded and focused on our goals and how to move forward in a healthy and productive manner.
Remind yourself why you want to accomplish that goal- if you push off your work with social media, by cleaning the kitchen, watching a movie, or simply focusing on other tasks at hand, give yourself a moment to reflect on why you want to complete that task you’ve been avoiding, and how you will feel as soon as you know you’ve dedicated the right amount of time to completing it as best you can. All the time you use distracting yourself can be time used to patiently and calmly work towards your goal.
Acknowledge the Fear Factor- acknowledge that you’re afraid of failing, or being humiliated, but then reflect on the worst possible outcome, the best possible outcome and the most realistic outcome - which you’ve very often experienced in the past.
Enjoy the process instead of making it feel like a heavy burden- our perfectionistist thoughts can make the process feel tiresome and like a frightening, gruesome burden. How about flipping the switch and enjoying the process of learning, of working and of completing something? Build up your confidence as you tell yourself you’re not afraid to work hard and even fail, and enjoy every step forward, because you are growing and you are strong enough to continue to grow.
We can either fixate on all the things that can go wrong and torment ourselves over it, or we can remind ourselves we are courageous and can accomplish anything we sent our minds and wills to. Confidence is something we need to grow and sustain, it isn’t a trait that one has or doesn't have.
And lastly, don’t wait for the perfect moment to start working on your priorities. Set yourself up with the basic tools you need and just start. Everything else will naturally fall into place once the wheels are in motion. Trust yourself and take that first step. Even if you get mildly distracted, acknowledge the distraction and reassert your attention to your project at hand. The more we break habits of procrastination, the easier it will be to overcome these obstacles. We are forever growing and evolving beings, and every step forward is a celebratory accomplishment!
Ready to turn procrastination into productivity? Click here to download a FREE Breaking up with Procrastination Resource. Learn a simple way for you to break up with procrastination so you can start achieving your tasks and feel more productive.
More Blog Post’s you’ll enjoy
7 Signs to Help You Identify Perfectionism in Your Life
Why We Feel the Need to Control
The Key to Overcoming Perfectionism
Relatable Podcast Episodes you’ll Enjoy from: It Didn’t Break Me Podcast
Releasing Control When You Have No Control with Jessica Stephens
"Embracing the And" with Faith Broussard Cade
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