Perfectionism and Procrastination: How to Break Infinite Loop

If you had to answer the question – “is perfectionism a positive trait?” – you would probably say “yes”. However, it often is a symptom of procrastination.

Haunting thoughts that the tasks were not done well enough, that could be done better creates an infinite loop which ultimately prevents you from taking on new tasks. Although we often tend to label this as the difficulty to plan the time, in many cases the problem is much more serious.

What is procrastination?

Usually people think that procrastination is laziness but that is not true. Actually, procrastination can be a really active state. The problem is that a person starts to prioritize the tasks he or she has to complete differently: these which have no importance are done as soon as possible while the significant ones are postponed… and are often never implemented, especially if there is no deadline or risk of being fired, not obtaining a university diploma, etc.

So procrastination is quite easy to recognize. If you are cleaning the house, going shopping, surfing the net, etc. instead of doing the tasks that really need to be done – you are procrastinating. Recognizing the problem is the first step to solving it. But… is it really necessary?

Why do you have to break the loop?

Procrastination isn’t just about putting it off. As we have already mentioned, it is also characterized by perfectionism, anxiety that the task will be too difficult to complete, problems with concentration, boredom, indecision and many more.

All these do not allow you to improve. Although you often have all the conditions for improving, procrastination does not allow you. It is almost the most important reason why it is necessary to immediately break the infinite procrastination and perfectionism loop. Unless becoming a couch potato sounds OK for you.

Also, let us be honest, procrastination and perfectionism kills your creativity and productivity. The less creative and productive you are, the less motivation you have, the further you get away from your goals. So, there is a risk that you will never get them. And not because there will be unfavorable circumstances, in this case you will be the main reason.

How to do that?

The good news is that this cycle can be broken out of. Of course, this requires effort and attentiveness. So where to start?

•     Prepare a task plan for the next day. This will facilitate the process of self-discipline and help you accomplish more tasks during the day than you were used to.
•     Be realistic. If you have been avoiding serious tasks for a long time, you should not expect that you will now complete them all in a day. Be realistic about your options and the time you have. And also avoid implementing your plans using your leisure time.
•     Divide the long journey into steps. In this way, they will seem a lot simpler to implement, even though the content of the task itself will not change.
•     Use the tools that might be helpful. You can use a calendar and various to-do list apps. It is also worth paying attention to the Virtue Map app and reviews about it. It may be that this tool will help you change your habits.
•     Make mistakes. And don’t punish yourself for them. We are human, so we make mistakes. Realizing this fact will help you break free from the cycle of perfectionism.

Is there anything else that might be helpful?

Although there are many things that could be useful in this case, not all of them will work for you. It is normal.

However, there is one thing that definitely has a great impact on your creativity and productivity. It’s about surrounding yourself with people who have similar goals as you or have a similar perception of life and values. This will ensure that if you succeed, you will have someone to celebrate your accomplishments with you. And in the event of failure, it does not allow you to fall into desperation but helps you move forward.

Being in a positive, inspiring environment will inevitably change you. Finally, in the long run, you too will become a source of inspiration for others with your qualities and achievements.