Do you quickly turn down opportunities because you’re not sure if they will work out? Do you take longer than you’d like on tasks because you get caught up in the smallest details and fear that something will be out of place? And even when everything seems to be going well, do you look for some problem that diminishes the size of the victory? The fear of making mistakes and perfectionism go hand in hand and can be significant enemies of your mental health.
According to the WHO, an increasing number of people have been diagnosed with mental disorders, such as social anxiety and depression, and recent studies show that people with perfectionist tendencies are more likely to develop these disorders. It has also been proven that self-compassion, something rarely practiced by perfectionistic individuals, is one of the greatest protective factors against anxiety and depression.
It can be liberating to allow imperfection to happen, accept it, and celebrate it. Because it’s exhausting to maintain all of this.
Perfection doesn’t exist, so why pursue it?
- List the damages that perfectionism brings to you; it will make them more real and harder to ignore.
- In your activities, focus your energy on what truly brings results; try to let go of details that yield little return.
- Set deadlines to avoid getting stuck indefinitely in what you’re doing.
Acting with perfectionism compromises your well-being because it always makes you seek problems in what you do.