Being a perfectionist is the kind of thing you claim in a job interview when asked what your biggest weakness is, but the reality is that perfectionism can be incredibly damaging. People who have perfectionist tendencies are more likely to workaholics or suffer from depression, sleep problems and many other illnesses.
It can also lead to career problems because while it might sound like an easy weakness to tell an interviewer, its effects include harsh self-criticism, low self-esteem, and procrastination brought on by a fear of making mistakes. None of these are helpful when it comes to productivity and success at work.
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However, there are techniques you can use to control your perfectionist tendencies and gain control back over your life.
Stop perfectionism!
Try visualization practices
Research has shown that visualization can help you gain the perspective that can silence the perfectionist voices in your head, so when a project goes wrong, write down what went right and remind yourself how insignificant any problems were.
Don’t let social media make you feel inadequate
Studies show the clear link between social media usage and low self-esteem, and this can be particularly hard on people who already suffer from the effects of perfectionist tendencies. Try breaking social media’s hold over you by switching off your push notifications and setting some time to be free from technology.
Use positive affirmations
Being a perfectionist means being overly self-critical and playing down your own achievements, so it can be helpful to give yourself reminders that these feelings aren’t real. A good way to deal with this is to write down some positive affirmations on cue cards and have them to hand when you need them.
Related: How to Make Sure You Have a Good Day By Using Positive Affirmations
These suggestions will help you start to control the perfectionist tendencies that are controlling your life, and you can read more in this infographic from CashNetUSA. It may not be a quick fix to change the habits of a lifetime, but if you start today you will start to see a positive difference soon.
Originally posted on January 29, 2018 @ 11:00 am
