Overcoming Procrastination and Perfectionism: 10 Tips to Stop the Cycle

What is Procrastination?

Procrastination is the avoidance of doing a task that needs to be accomplished. It is often caused by an anxiety disorder, lack of motivation, perfectionism, fear of failure, and burnout. 

Procrastination is a type of anxiety disorder that is characterised by the avoidance of tasks or situations that produce anxiety. People with procrastination will often times put off important tasks in order to avoid feeling anxious or stressed.

Procrastination can be very harmful to one’s work and personal life. It can lead to missed deadlines, lower quality work, and decreased productivity. In some cases, procrastination can even lead to depression and other mental health issues.

People who procrastinate may feel overwhelmed or anxious about the task at hand. They may believe that they need to do everything perfectly in order to be happy or successful or feel they aren’t good enough to complete the task. This can lead to a lot of stress and pressure, which can make it difficult to get started on anything. Burnout can also cause people to procrastinate, as they may feel too tired or unmotivated to work. Finally, anxiety and depression can also lead to procrastination as sufferers may feel unable to do anything at all.

Causes of Procrastination

There can be many reasons why someone might procrastinate and getting to the root cause of procrastination is not always easy. It could be that they’re unclear on what they need to do, unsure of how to start, or simply don’t find the task interesting. For some people, it may be a way of dealing with feelings of anxiety or stress.

If a deadline’s looming and the person doesn’t feel confident about completing the task, they may put it off as a way of avoiding negative feelings. On a side note it’s worth pointing out that large projects are not more likely than smaller tasks to cause this loop of procrastination. It can be very easy to procrastinate on a task for much longer than it would have taken to complete it.

When people feel overwhelmed, their natural reaction is to try to delay or avoid the task altogether. This is because when we’re feeling overwhelmed, it feels like we don’t have enough time or energy to complete the task, and so it’s easier to just put it off altogether.

Similarly, when people feel anxious about a task, their natural reaction is to try to avoid it. This is because anxiety can be paralysing, and often makes it difficult to focus on anything else but the thing that’s making us anxious.

It’s also worth considering that for some people, procrastination can be a perfectly normal part of their working process. They may work better under pressure and enjoy the feeling of finishing something at the last minute. As long as it’s not causing them distress or impacting their ability to meet deadlines, then there’s no need to worry.

Procrastination is a common issue for college students, as they juggle multiple assignments and deadlines. Academic procrastination is the act of putting off schoolwork or delaying academic tasks. This can include anything from studying for exams to writing papers. It can be tough to stay on top of everything, and sometimes it’s easier to just avoid doing certain tasks. Our academic diaries can help you get organised if you’re struggling with an excessive workload.

Symptoms of Procrastination:

• Putting off important tasks
• Feeling overwhelmed or anxious about the task at hand
• Believing that you need to do everything perfectly in order to be successful
• Feeling too tired or unmotivated to work
• Procrastination can lead to missed deadlines, lower quality work, and decreased productivity

If you find yourself procrastinating often, it may be time to consider seeking professional help. This is especially true if procrastination is impacting your ability to meet deadlines or causing you distress or poor concentration.

What is Perfectionism?

Perfectionism is often thought of as a positive trait – striving to be the best that you can be and create your best work. However, perfectionism can have some negative consequences. For example, people who are perfectionists may be more likely to experience burnout, procrastination, and a need for control.

Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that can occur when someone feels like they’re never good enough or they’re not meeting their own high standards. Perfectionists are especially susceptible to burnout because they’re constantly putting pressure on themselves to achieve unrealistic goals.

Procrastination is another common side effect of perfectionism. People who are perfectionists may avoid starting tasks because they’re afraid of not being able to do them perfectly. This can lead to a lot of time and energy wasted as people try to avoid doing important tasks due to unrealistic expectations of themselves.

People who are perfectionists may feel like they need to be in complete control of every aspect of their lives in order to be happy. This can lead to a lot of anxiety and stress, as well as a feeling of being overwhelmed creating a cycle of perfectionism.

Causes of Perfectionism

Perfectionism stems from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. People with perfectionist tendencies may have inherited a personality trait that makes them more sensitive to mistakes and more likely to strive for perfection. Environmental factors such as parenting style, critical comments from others, and academic pressure can also contribute to the cause of perfectionism.

Perfectionism can be harmful because it leads people to set unrealistic goals for themselves and often puts them under excessive stress. People who are perfectionists are more likely to experience anxiety and depression and they are also at risk for developing eating disorders or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Symptoms of Perfectionism:

• Setting unrealistically high standards for yourself
• Feeling like you’re never good enough
• Procrastination
• Burnout
• A need for control

If you’re struggling with perfectionism, there are many ways to get help. Counselling and therapy can be very helpful in addressing the root causes of perfectionism and helping you develop healthy coping mechanisms. There are also many books and articles that offer helpful advice for dealing with perfectionism.

The Link Between Procrastination and Perfectionism

Procrastination and perfectionism are two of the most common psychological conditions that people battle with. Procrastination is the habit of putting off tasks until later, while perfectionism is the need to do everything perfectly. This can lead to a lot of paralysis, as the fear of not being perfect can keep you from taking any action at all. In order to overcome procrastination, it’s important to understand and address the underlying causes, which often include perfectionism. Let’s take a closer look at how these two conditions are related and what you can do to break free from their grip.

It’s estimated that chronic procrastination affects up to 20% of the population and perfectionism affects as many as 30%. That means that there’s a good chance you or someone you know is struggling with one or both of these conditions. And, unfortunately, they often go hand in hand.

One study found that procrastination and perfectionism are significantly correlated, with procrastination being a predictor of perfectionism. In other words, people who tend to procrastinate are more likely to also be perfectionists. It is estimated that procrastination affects around 80% of high achievers due to their high personal standards.

There are a few possible explanations for why procrastination and perfectionism are so closely linked. First, procrastination often stems from a fear of failure. If you’re afraid of making mistakes, you may put off starting tasks because you’re worried that you won’t be able to do them perfectly. This is especially common in people with perfectionist tendencies who can often spend much time considering the best way to complete a task efficiently rather than just completing the task itself.

Procrastination can also be caused by a lack of self-confidence. If you don’t believe in your ability to complete a task, you may be more likely to procrastinate. This is often the case with perfectionists, who often doubt their abilities and think that they need to be perfect in order to be successful.

Procrastination may also be due to a lack of motivation. If you don’t feel motivated to start a task, you’re more likely to procrastinate. This can often be the case with perfectionists, who may not feel motivated to start tasks that they’re not confident they can do perfectly.

Perfectionism is often driven by a need for control. When we feel out of control in our lives, we may try to compensate by seeking perfection in other areas. This can lead to procrastination as well, as the search for perfection can be endless and overwhelming as we constantly strive and fail to meet out own high expectations.

What is the Perfectionism-Procrastination Loop?

The perfectionism-procrastination loop occurs when we allow our perfectionism to prevent us from starting a task, and then procrastinate on completing the task because we feel like it’s not going to be perfect anyway. This can become a vicious cycle that’s hard to break out of.

For example: you have a paper to write for school which you put off starting because you’re worried that it won’t be good enough and you’ll get a bad grade. But the longer you wait to start, the more pressure you feel to make it perfect, which just makes you more likely to procrastinate. And so on, around and around in circles. The irony of course being that the shortened time pressure to complete the task makes getting a poor grade more likely.

10 Tips to Overcome Perfectionism and Procrastination

One of the biggest problems with procrastination and perfectionism is that they often feed off of each other. Perfectionism can lead to procrastination, as you may put off tasks because you’re afraid of not doing them perfectly. And procrastination can lead to perfectionism, as you may try to do everything at the last minute and end up feeling like it’s not good enough. This can create a vicious cycle that can be hard to break out of. But the good news is there are some things you can do to overcome procrastination and perfectionism!

Here are some actionable methods you can use to break free from the procrastination-perfectionism loop:

1. Awareness: It’s important to become aware of your perfectionist tendencies and procrastination habits. Once you’re aware of them, you can start to work on changing them.
2. Plan Ahead: Visualising the end result of a task or project can help you to see the steps you will need to take to complete it. If you think you may be procrastinating because you don’t know where to start or are unsure of how you’ll complete a task, planning ahead can help you gain clarity and move forward with a project. Set realistic goals for yourself and strive for progress, not perfection. It’s important to remember that nobody is perfect and that mistakes are part of the learning process.
3. Small Steps: When you’re facing a daunting task, it can be helpful to break it down into smaller, more manageable pieces. By setting small tasks, you’ll build momentum and confidence which will help you to keep going. The successful completion of a task can also improve low self-esteem and make your next project easier to complete. Our habit tracker book is great for tracking tasks and breaking down larger projects.
4. Make Mistakes: Give yourself permission to make mistakes and be okay with being imperfect. This can be a challenge, but it’s important to remember that mistakes are not the end of the world. Remember done is better than perfect.
5. Enjoy the Journey: Focus on the process, not the outcome. When you’re working on a task, try to focus on enjoying the process and the journey, rather than worrying about the end result. If you can find satisfaction and meaning in the process itself, you’ll be more likely to stick with it even when things get tough.
6. Believe in Yourself: Build up your self-confidence and aim for progress, not perfection. It’s important to remember that you are capable and worthy of success, even if you’re not perfect.
7. Set realistic expectations: One of the hallmarks of perfectionism is setting unrealistically high standards for yourself. If you’re constantly chasing an unattainable ideal, it’s no wonder you procrastinate! Try to be realistic in your expectations and give yourself credit for the progress you make, not just the end result.
8. Find A Buddy: Find a procrastination buddy or accountability partner to help you stay on track. Having someone to help you stay accountable can be a great way to overcome procrastination and perfectionism.
9. Try the pomodoro technique: The pomodoro technique is a time management strategy that can be helpful for overcoming procrastination and perfectionism. It involves setting a timer for 25 minutes and working on a task until the timer goes off. Then, you take a five-minute break before starting the next 25-minute interval. Once you’ve identified a task you need to do, set a time limit for yourself and stick to it. This will help you to get started, stay focused, and avoid getting bogged down in the details.
10. Cultivate a Growth Mindset: A growth mindset is the belief that skills and abilities can be developed with effort and practice. This is in contrast to a fixed mindset, which is the belief that skills and abilities are static and cannot be changed. Having a growth mindset can help you to overcome procrastination and perfectionism by viewing mistakes as opportunities for learning and growth.

If you’re struggling with procrastination and perfectionism, know that you’re not alone and that there is hope. By becoming aware of your perfectionist tendencies and procrastination habits, setting realistic goals, and giving yourself permission to make mistakes, you can start to overcome these challenges and lead a more productive and fulfilling life.

By using these methods, you can begin to overcome procrastination and perfectionism and start living a more fulfilling life. Don’t wait any longer, get started today!