5 Tips To Tackle Perfectionism
Find That Elusive Balance
Everyone wants to be their best selves. Most think being their best self is equivalent to being perfect all the time. If you are or have been one of them, you probably are aware of the adverse effects that follow.
Perfectionism is a double-edged sword. Too much perfectionism will push you towards anxiety and procrastination. But too little perfectionism will lead to mediocrity. So how do you find that elusive perfectionism equilibrium?
Here are some tips to help you:
1. Don’t over-measure
It’s true. What gets measured does get managed. But you should also understand that over-measuring something to the point that you are doing it only to make yourself feel better, almost always burns you out in the long term and if you are managing a team — you are definitely burning your team out.
When you are setting goals always set an acceptable margin for error. If not publicly, at least set it internally in your mind.
The law of diminishing returns supports this:
The law of diminishing returns states that in all productive processes, adding more of one factor of production, while holding all others constant, will at some point yield lower incremental per-unit returns.
This means that at a certain point adding more effort will not produce significantly more gains. But how to know when we have reached this point?
If you have a previous reference point of what this point could be, then definitely use it. If you don’t, then try to learn from other’s experiences. You save yourself and others a lot of time and energy by paying attention to other’s experiences. Last but not the least, pay attention to your gut.
2. Be willing to iterate
Some of you may look at the first tip and worry if that might lead to mediocrity. Trust me. I have had the same concerns too.
While your concerns are valid, it is important to understand that most things in life are not measured in one snapshot. True magic happens when you are willing to iterate on your work. Consistent iteration is key to compounding your results in every aspect.
When you are at the point of overdoing something, always list down whatever you want to do as a part of the next iteration. This helps you to avoid the fear of missing out (F.O.M.O).
An iterative mindset is freeing, less stressful, and allows you to have fun.
3. Avoid ‘Paralysis by Analysis’
People love to analyse. This is good as long as you are able to get useful information out of the analysis.
But invariably, you get to a point where you are just running in circles and not gathering any useful information. At this point, you are officially in the “Analysis by Paralysis” zone. Be very wary of this zone.
You would be wise to stop your analysis when you reach this zone and start taking action. If you have two or more ways to take action on your analysis and not sure which one to pursue, consider control-testing your approaches.
4. Set up a framework
Elite performers all have a framework they swear by. It is custom-made for them, by them. Which is why you have to create your own framework to be an elite performer.
List down what has worked for you in the past. List down stuff where you think you might have spent too much time but very little outcomes to show for that. Try to find a pattern from your past mistakes. Now, take this and fit it into your productivity framework.
Next time you start something, always keep this framework as your reference. You may make mistakes. But always be sure to learn, iterate and have fun.
5. Be mindful and let go
Meditation is a great way to train your mindfulness muscle. Slow-down, take a deep breath and focus on one thing at a time.
Be mindful when you do something. The more mindful you are, the more clarity you have about where you are in the perfectionism spectrum.
Mindfulness leads to self-compassion and better outcomes in the long term. Know that you are not alone.
Finally and most importantly be willing to let go. We are all transient creatures and it is important to have fun while we are at work. There is nothing wrong with striving for excellence. But don’t let that affect you adversely in any way.
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