Looking to be a Perfectionist? Look No Further

By: Roseanne Cassar

Attention to detail is a tell-tale sign of a Perfectionist at work. (Credit: Medium.com)

The life people live on a daily basis has its ups and downs. It can be stressful to the point of breaking, especially for college students.

The recognition of ‘the self’ starts from third grade and continues throughout college, and it is where students are faced with the ultimate test of their lives—performance, grades, and the search for success in life.

For students from kindergarten through second grade, they are still too young to recognize ‘the self’ yet. Young children live life stress-free and carefree. Life at a young age is always play time, especially when you’re beginning to embrace the value of learn.

‘The self’ recognition can eventually turn into perfectionism. This starts when students begin to engage in more intense learning.

The more a student learns and grows, the more responsibilities they will accept when tackling projects and studies. This will develop into a quickly changing attitude that they will establish with themselves.

What is perfectionism?  According to Google, “A perfectionist is a person who refuses to accept any standard short of perfection.”  

In psychology terms, perfectionism is a personality trait characterized by, “a person’s striving for flawlessness and setting high performance standards.”

What does personality trait mean?  According to Google, “In Psychology, perfectionism is a personality trait characterized by ‘a person’s striving for flawlessness and setting excessively high performance standards accompanied by overly critical self-evaluations and concerns regarding others’ evaluations.’”

What are the signs of a perfectionist?  According to Google, “High achievers tend to have equally high esteem; not so with perfectionists.  They tend to be very self-critical and unhappy, and suffer from low self-esteem.”

“They can also be lonely or isolated as their critical nature and rigidity can push others away as well.” Here are some steps to take if you want to be a perfectionist. The first step is to, “completely organize your room or house, and have everything aligned perfectly.”

“Once every month, go through your room and look through the things that you don’t need and throw them out. Try sleeping earlier to allow yourself at least eight hours of sleep.” As another important step;  “It’s important to be punctual.”

“Always arrive at your destination at least fifteen minutes before you are supposed to be there.” Why rush? “Leave your house early so you don’t even risk getting detention for being late to class, or so that you will not be late for work.”

Accurate timing is important. “Moving up the time on your watch will help you arrive at your destination earlier.” As a third step, you should, “learn to create lists.”

“Get a calendar or planner, and write all of the things that you have to do on that day, not just the important things. To a perfectionist, everything is important.”  Your list should, “never be more than five items long, or else you’re taking on too much and set yourself up for failure.” You can make a list for the week as well as for the month.

Why not create a list for your life? “Being a perfectionist is all about priorities. Stop procrastinating, remove or ignore distractions.”

Step four is to, “pay attention to your demeanor and speech.”  Speak well, be polite and speak calmly. Step five is that, “as a perfectionist, you may want it to show on the outside by taking good care of yourself.  Hygiene is a must.”

“Dress for success, not like a slob. Take care of your skin. Maintain your nails.”

“Always be ready for the unexpected. Carry extra money with you.  If you have a cell phone, always make sure that it’s fully charged. You never know when you will be stuck in a situation where you are stuck on your own.”  

“A perfectionist cannot be perfect if they are unprepared!”  Step seven is to, “set high standards for yourself.”

And last but not least, “Take extra time to make everything around you perfect, starting with your schoolwork.  Pay attention to every little detail. It will make you happy.

If you would like to read this article further, look for “How To Be A Perfectionist: 12 Steps.”

Sources:

m.wikihow.com.