Are You A Perfectionist? How Not To Beat Yourself Up

I'm a very detail-oriented, organized person. Sometimes, in my own opinion, too organized. I file away reminders and to-do lists in my trusty dated tickler file, which helps keep me organized and on top of things. The system works great, except when, in a moment of panic, I think of something I need (for example, directions to an appointment), which I had forgotten were already written down and tucked safely away in the tickler file for the actual day of my appointment! I guess I just need to trust that I have a system in place that will help me get from Point A to Point B.

The point is I think I'm too hard on myself sometimes. It's good (I think) to have high expectations for my actions and the way I live my life, but I should not expect myself to be perfect. This applies whether I'm thinking about my organizing skills, working on a project, or washing my car.

The word "perfectionism," as defined in the dictionary, is "A tendency to be dissatisfied with anything less than perfection." Does this sound like anyone you know? I think we all have this tendency at certain times. I sometimes get so lost in the details of my work, or even cleaning my house, that I forget I'm a human being who is allowed to be less than perfect. Like everyone, I make a few mistakes here and there. I just try to minimize the number of them and work like crazy to correct them!

We need to be easier on ourselves, and to realize that no one is perfect. All anyone can ever expect of us is that we try to be the best we can be, and to do things to the best of our abilities. My organizing skills are not perfect, and I'm learning to live with that. As long as I try to be as organized as possible, I'm fine with that. Really.

How about you? Isn't it time to stop being in a constant perfectionist mindset, and start believing you are who you are? You can always improve yourself by learning better behaviors and habits. Just don't beat yourself up when things are not perfect. Know that there will be times when things don't go as smoothly or as perfectly as you would like. Learn to live with that, and you won't be so hard on yourself.

There, now don't you feel a little better about yourself?

By: Cynthia Morse, CAP

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Cynthia Morse, CAP is a Virtual Assistant, and the owner of Virtually At Your Service, www.virtuallyatyourservice.biz. She offers top-notch administrative support to small business owners and other busy professionals from her home office, allowing them the time to focus on what they love and do best. Sign up at virtuallyatyourservice.typepad.com/virtualbizconnection/ to receive updates to her blog “Virtual Biz Connection.”