While it can be good to have high standards, the relentless pursuit of perfection will have an impact on all aspects of your work and private life and can lead to unhappiness. You can be excellent without having to be perfect. Perfectionism is an illusion.
Students share their stories on the pitfalls of perfectionism. Duration 2:29
Rina Baterna Daluz, a Psychologist from Psychology and Wellness, gives students some advice on how to strive for high standards without getting too wrapped up with making things perfect. Duration 1:29.
The Perfectionist trap, the School of Life, Duration 3:48
The problem with Perfectionism: the School of Life, Duration 3:08
Resources
Centre for Clinical Interventions: Perfectionism in Perspective. Excellent series of self help modules with great strategies for managing Perfectionist tendencies that will make your life and the lives of those around you easier. Definitely check it out!
Preston Ni, The problem with Perfectionism. Preston Ni outlines how perfectionism can be self defeating.
Graduate students and perfectionism
UNSW CAPS Newsletter on Perfectionism
Self reflection space
Spending time reflecting on how you do things is time well spend.
Do you think you are a perfectionist? What areas of your life do you have a tendency toward perfectionism? What problems/feelings have resulted from your perfectionism ?
How might being a perfectionist be unhelpful to you? Think about it for a moment and write down some thoughts.
Reflect on ways you can work on your perfectionism. Check out the Centre for Clinical Interventions: Perfectionism in Perspective module. Write down ways (tips, suggestions, strategies) you can work on your perfectionism. Keep them at hand so you can refer to them when you are experiencing perfectionism.