9 Ways Your Perfectionism Is Holding You Back: A Psychologist Explains

Perfectionism is more than just having a neat junk drawer. Perfectionism entails an all-or-nothing mentality when it comes to everything: work, home life, exercise, friends, creative projects, you name it. Something is either perfect or it's an utter failure. It's either done right or it's done wrong. This all-or-nothing mentality can be your kryptonite when it comes to productivity. Here are nine ways perfectionism might be robbing you of your productivity:

Perfectionism is very stressful. There's a constant conversation in your brain pushing you to do something more to make it perfect. Research shows that perfectionism contributes to increased stress and risk for burnout. And that stress can have a negative impact on your productivity.

With an all-or-nothing mentality, perfectionism can create the thought of "If I can't be perfect then why even bother?!" A great example of this is a coaching client of mine who wanted to be healthier. She told me, "I can't get to the gym every day because I'm so busy. So I can't work out." I pointed out that, in fact, there are lots of ways to exercise; going to the gym is only one of them. For example, she could go for a walk during lunch, do two minutes of squats while she's on a phone call, or choose to take the stairs instead of the elevator. However, her perfectionistic attitude had her avoiding any exercise at all. Another place where perfectionism can lead to avoidance occurs when waiting for the "perfect" moment to get started on a project. In reality, there is no perfect moment, so get started now.

While ostensibly perfectionism is about wanting to be perfect, on a deeper level it's based on an intense fear of failure. A fear of failure not only increases your stress but also reduces your ability to be productive in other ways. For example, if you're so fearful of failure you may not take a risk to try something new that may help you advance your project.

The perfectionist often thinks that she needs to get it all done now, which can result in multitasking. And research overwhelmingly shows that multitasking depletes our ability to be productive.

Along with multitasking, a perfectionist often focuses on the need to get stuff done now. He often avoids taking time out for himself, thinking that he needs to put his attention on and focus on work. In reality, taking a break can help you be much more productive.

With an all-or-nothing, perfect-or-failure thinking, making a decision can be difficult for perfectionists. Fearful of making the wrong decision, they often overanalyze and have trouble picking just one decision and sticking with it. This can lead to reduced productivity, as well as lots of unnecessary stress.

Because perfectionists often have unrealistically high expectations, there's a sense that it's never good enough to be complete, so a project is never finished. As a result, they may continue to focus on minute details as opposed to completing the project and moving on.

With perfectionism can often come people-pleasing—the inability to say no to tasks or not wanting to turn off email or phone for fear that someone will need them. I had a client once tell me that she had to check her emails morning, noon, and night, weeknights and weekends, in case someone needed her attention. That inability to set any limits can severely hinder your productivity.

Do any of these sound like you? If so, click here for free tips on how to overcome perfectionism to boost your productivity and success.