The Perfectionism, Procrastination, & Paralysis Cycle, and How to Get Stuff Done
Have you ever been assigned a project but you’re struggling to get started? Moreso, have you ever thought that your work won’t be good enough? Have you ever believed that the final result HAD TO BE PERFECT, but these thoughts still aren’t motivating you enough to take the first step?
Even as I write this blog post, I feel the pressure to make sure my points are clear and concise, which makes writing this more daunting. Perhaps you’ve said to yourself that “once you’re in the right headspace”, you can get started, but the anxiety and fear are becoming overwhelming. You might have told yourself “I’m just lazy”, or “I’m wasting my potential” but your expectations might be preventing you from feeling more confident from the start.
How do you know if you're caught up in the perfectionism, procrastination, & paralysis loop?
The cycle typically begins with setting too high standards for yourself. You want EVERYTHING to be perfect, so you put off starting the task until you feel ready or have enough time. This delay often leads to increased stress and anxiety, which you might read as feeling underprepared or lacking the skills to be successful, which can lead to putting the task off even further.
As time passes, the pressure of not wanting to fail builds, leading to feeling paralyzed and the inability to take action. The idea of failing becomes so overwhelming that you’d rather not even try in the first place. When the task is finally completed, you may feel a sense of relief, but it is often followed by self-criticism and a feeling that the work could have been better.
If you're often struggling with starting a new project, getting started with your to-do list, or avoiding certain things because you're fearful it won't be good enough, that might be a sign that your perfectionism is causing you to procrastinate.
Here are a few suggestions on how to stop perfectionism from interfering with your productivity:
Check-in with yourself: By making yourself more aware of your thoughts and feelings, you can begin to catch the self-critical thoughts earlier on. Try asking yourself, “How do I feel trying to meet my expectations?” and “Am I striving for excellence or demanding perfection?”
Reframe your thoughts: Many unhelpful thoughts are present when you’re a perfectionist, such as all-or-nothing thinking (seeing situations as absolutes, i.e. if I don’t get a 100% on my project, I’m a failure). Think about approaching your work with curiosity and a growth mindset - ask yourself, “What am I learning from this experience” to start to see experiences as less black and white.
Set more realistic goals: If you find yourself putting off a task because you are afraid of failure, try setting a more realistic goal for yourself rather than trying to achieve perfection. If you find yourself procrastinating because you are overwhelmed, try breaking the task down into smaller, more manageable steps to build momentum toward your bigger goals.
Be flexible: Think about it this way: an imperfect step is better than not taking a step. When you start something, you might have to course correct, and that is okay. Normalize allowing yourself to make adjustments along the way instead of worrying that the initial step isn’t good enough.
Practice self-compassion: Perfectionism promotes self-critical thinking, which can lead to a delayed start. If you make a mistake or fail at something, approach yourself with empathy and kindness instead of self-criticism, which helps you thwart perfectionism in its tracks. Challenge those thoughts with positive affirmations, such as “I’m trying my best and that’s enough," and “I can tackle this little by little and one step at a time”.
It is possible to challenge perfectionism, break the procrastination loop, and achieve greater peace of mind and productivity. The next time you’re struggling with procrastination, evaluate whether your expectations are setting you up for success and focus on being realistic and kind toward yourself. Remember that you're not alone in these struggles and you can work with a perfectionist therapist to work with you in combating these unhelpful patterns.
