![]() ![]() You might be tempted to write “get flowers” as a task, for example, but that could invoke feelings of overwhelm. Let’s look at it this way: You have to plan your wedding. Figure out what the components of the task are, and take them in bite sizes.”īreaking down tasks into their smaller pieces not only makes them more manageable, but leads to more frequent feelings of accomplishment as you cross each one off your list. “For example, if you’re trying to get your inbox organized, it’s not going to help if you consider that as one single task. “Tackling perfectionism requires disrupting all-or-nothing thinking,” says Dr. Free yourself from the expectation that you have to give 100 percent of yourself to everything you do. This doesn’t mean accepting laziness! It just means understanding that B-level work is so very far from failure - and a normal part of life.īefore diving into your work, make a conscious decision to lower the bar. Instead, I’ve learned to separate which tasks deserve the bulk of time and attention, and which ones are okay to ease up on. Nothing would ever get done and I’d wind up challenging my self-worth on a daily basis. One of the best pieces of advice someone gave me was, “Remember, not every single piece needs to be a gem.” Meaning, don’t shoot for the Pulitzer Prize with every assignment I have. It’s easy to forget this, though, when so many of the expectations we have of ourselves are lurking just below the surface, fueling our anxiety.Īs a writer, it’s my job to write every single day. It’s okay to make mistakes (you can always go back and fix them later!). The first step to breaking that cycle is to recognize that often times, accomplishing tasks is a slow process, and an imperfect one at that - and that’s normal and totally okay. “When you procrastinate less, you don’t get that sense of panic and paralysis, so your work ends up looking and feeling better than it would have otherwise.”īut where to begin? To break the cycle, follow these 7 steps: “When you tackle perfectionism, you’re less likely to procrastinate,” she says. Karen McDowell, clinical director of AR Psychological Services. “The good thing about cycles is that they can be reversed in an equally cyclical way,” says Dr. And there are very practical ways to overcome anxiety so that this cycle is not only something you can manage, but something you can conquer. Getting organized has now become not only a monumental task - it’s now an existential crisis, as you begin to wonder what could be so “wrong” with you that you keep getting stuck.Īm I just lazy? Is my brain broken? Why do I do this to myself? What’s the matter with me? ![]() Shame wants to constantly remind you that the task didn’t get done, only reinforcing your perfectionism… and perpetuating the cycle. But inevitably, there comes a point when that avoidance has gone on for far too long - and just when it’s time to pull it together? You freeze.Īnd along comes anxiety’s best friend: shame. Whether that perfectionism stems from a fear of judgment or judgments you have of yourself, the anxiety likes to convince you that if you can’t do everything and do it perfectly? You should probably do nothing at all. It’s this sense of overwhelm that feeds one of the common patterns that people struggle with: the perfectionism-procrastination-paralysis cycle.įor many people, the idea of doing a task in a less-than-perfect way may be grounds enough to say, “Forget the whole thing!” ![]() Getting things done or let alone getting organized when you struggle with anxiety can be overwhelming. It leaves me wanting to throw up my hands and deal with it later. A list so long that even the simplest task becomes overwhelming and all-consuming.Įven as I sit here writing this article, I’m overwhelmed with the points I want to make and how to phrase them. Raise your hand if this sounds familiar: A swirling to-do list in your brain.
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