Break the Vicious Cycle: Perfectionism, Procrastination, and Paralysis

Kevin Shirley, Associate Broker (DC), GRI, e-PRO, ASP

Let’s face it, perfectionism, procrastination, and paralysis are toxic and can hold you back from achieving your goals. If you’re stuck in this vicious cycle, you can work endlessly without getting satisfactory results. While getting stuck in this vicious cycle is very dangerous, some people don’t even know that they are there, thus, the cause for the unending quest to end the cycle.

How would you know that you are affected by one of these unwanted perfectionism traits, procrastination, and paralysis?

Perfectionism

Perfectionism is exhibited by the constant fear that whatever you are doing will not be good enough, thus, pushing you to keep on working on your project, striving to perfect it (tweaking, editing, reworking). Perfectionism comes from set expectations, which are often high and unrealistic. The fear caused by perfectionism can also be caused by the fear that your output will be rejected. Therefore, you might realize that you are suffering from perfectionism if you are always worried that your project is not good enough.

Procrastination

Procrastination is the act of postponing work, leaving it pending for a long time. There are many causes of procrastination, including being a victim of perfectionism. So, when you are stuck for any sort of fear, you start making excuses for not doing the work, thus pushing its deadline further ahead. You can also engage in other unrelated tasks to keep yourself busy to avoid doing the main task.

Paralysis

As a result of perfectionism and procrastination, you can become completely stuck on a project. When you are unable to carry on with a specific task, it is then that you show signs of paralysis. Paralysis damages your self-esteem, making the cycle continue since your greatest fear is confirmed with this.

Basic steps to end this cycle

You will never enjoy the beauty of accomplishments if you are always stuck in this vicious cycle. It is of great importance that you start to take deliberate steps to end this cycle. Here are seven great ways to get you started:

• Accept imperfection. One of the primary things that you can do to stop perfectionism is to start accepting imperfection. The first thing is to recognize that genuine accomplishments are sometimes imperfect. You should treat this as a normal thing, for it is expected if you live in this world. One important thing to remember is that accomplishments might not happen as you expect them to happen, but it doesn’t mean that you cannot celebrate your achievement in its shape. Another essential thing that will help you deal with perfectionism is knowing that everyone has a different view of what is perfect; thus, you should not judge yourself against what others think.
• Take small steps. If you want to tackle a task effectively, you need to break it into smaller achievable steps. Just take a light example of organizing your emails. If you were to do that in a single sitting, you might not be able to finish it all at once, but if you assign yourself bits of the task, you might end up finishing it in a week or so. But when you break tasks into smaller action steps, you make them achievable and manageable. Furthermore, you feel a sense of accomplishment along the way since you get involved in achieving what you can manage. Always remember that these small accomplishments will help you build the momentum of finishing more significant tasks.
• Track your time. Another important thing that can help you break the vicious cycle of perfectionism, procrastination, and paralysis is tracking your time. It is of paramount importance to note that time defines the task you want to do. Setting an achievable target alongside its deadline is vital in helping pace you well. This will help you avoid the temptation of procrastination. You also need to balance your priorities to avoid a scenario where you are focusing on one task, neglecting other aspects of your life, which might also lead to psychological damage.
• Surround yourself with positive support. There is nothing as exciting as having positive support around you. One of the top reasons people don’t finish important tasks is because they get distracted because of loneliness. Associating yourself with positive people who can help you achieve a task can help you complete the task and celebrate your achievements.
• It is okay to say NO. The vicious cycle tends to target people who are committed to working. While there is nothing wrong with being committed to your work, you need to start practicing how to say no. People can take advantage of you if you cannot decline proposals to get involved in overwhelming responsibilities. If you have a lot in your planner, just decline incoming tasks to allow you to finish the pending tasks. If you have a lot under your sleeves, you might end up finishing none.
• Use the reward system. One of the best motivating factors that can keep you in check while doing a task is rewarding yourself. As earlier suggested, you should break your tasks into smaller bits. Every time you finish any of the smaller tasks, reward yourself. This will keep you focused on the next piece of a task as you have the upcoming reward in mind.
• Consider your body and mind. Another thing that leads to paralysis is being unable to coordinate your body and mind. You need to be in an excellent physical and mental state to perform your tasks diligently. You need to perform regular ‘self-checks’ to ensure that you are in good shape to carry on with the task.

Breaking the vicious cycle of perfectionism, procrastination, and paralysis is a journey that should begin immediately. Never let any of these unwanted elements of the vicious cycle hold you down; simply put the basic guidelines into practice. If you are unsure, you can talk to a professional about your experiences to get help.