How Do Procrastination and Perfectionism Reduce Productivity?

Artist, writer, and editor Jack Kirby once said, “Perfectionists are devils themselves,” and he's right. The reason you accept this quote is because when you strive for perfection, you procrastinate without realizing it.

Despite the misconception that procrastinators are lazy, the truth is that they might be the victims of falling into an empty loop of procrastination and perfectionism. Starting a project or task is very scary, as you might feel that you are not good enough to implement it.

You might devote a lot of time to the planning phase rather than getting started. As a result, you might wait until the last moments to start the actual task because things do not correspond to the general picture in your mind, which means that your emotions are what drive your actions.

For example, you do not start a project because you think that you are not in the right place yet. You also prioritize easier tasks, which in turn prevents you from focusing on more important responsibilities. Once you get into this cycle of procrastination and perfectionism, you can expect dire consequences.

Dr. Bill Cloke, an expert psychotherapist, says that procrastination symptoms usually reflect an inability to finish tasks, meet deadlines, or arrive on time, as well as poor focus, negative self-messages, dreamy expectations, and an inability to organize and work constructively. These are things that are associated with procrastination.

How Do Procrastination and Perfectionism Reduce Productivity? 

It is clear that all of the above are obstacles to your productivity. Thus, your pursuit of perfection might be a stumbling block in the way of increasing your productivity in one of the following ways:

1. Anxiety and depression

Is anxiety the reason for perfectionism? Or is it the other way around? Unfortunately, the answer isn't exactly clear, but several studies have found that perfectionism can lead to a great deal of problems, like anxiety or depression.

“There are not many things that can cause anxiety and depression,” says Sarah Egan, a researcher at Curtin University in Perth, Australia, who specializes in perfectionism, eating disorders, and anxiety. Studies have shown that the more you strive for perfection, the more mental disorders you suffer from.

2. Low self-esteem

Since the perfectionism standards are incredibly high, the perfectionist feels resentful when they do not meet these standards, which in turn stimulates self-doubt and eventually makes them enter into a negative self-dialogue.

It might seem like an exaggeration, but the perfectionist considers themselves a failure when they do not meet the standards they have set. They will not be able to succeed or move forward without confidence in themselves.

3. Hindering innovation

Perfection often kills innovation. So it is not surprising that it also affects productivity.

Former CEO John Rampton wrote that innovation encourages continuous improvement and staying up-to-date. The problem is that you devote a lot of time to thinking and brainstorming. However, after you exhaust yourself pursuing perfection, you get rid of these ideas and let them go, which means that you give up some wonderful and great ideas. This affects your self-confidence, as you reject all possible opportunities that might make you smarter and increase your productivity faster and better.

4. Causing health problems

Several studies have found that perfectionism can shorten an individual's lifespan because it negatively affects physical health.

A perfectionist might suffer from chronic headaches, fatigue, insomnia, and heartburn. It can also lead to high levels of chronic stress, which is known to be associated with cardiovascular diseases, as well as an increase in eating disorders and suicide rates.

5. Difficulty in making decisions

Alice Boyles wrote in the Harvard Business Review (HBR) that there is disagreement about whether you should make a decision quickly or delegate the task to someone else. However, perfectionists have difficulty determining whether a decision is unimportant because they like to have everything under their control. They are more troubled by flaws than others. If something goes wrong, they might feel frustration and anger that are hard to ignore, and they don't want to risk it.

Sometimes, perfectionists get so used to micromanagement that they see every decision as important and become completely detached from reality. They routinely and automatically consider everything worthy of their full effort.

6. Difficulty in achieving goals

Being a perfectionist can make it more difficult to achieve your goals because your fear of failure incapacitates you, which obviously prevents you from moving forward.

Furthermore, your negative self-talk occupies your mind, which prevents inspiration and motivation to pursue your goals. Since perfectionists tend to give up easily, they often quit before things get difficult.

7. Relationship stress

Communicating with perfectionists is not an easy task. Perfectionists might question their own value. They have difficulty being honest and transparent because they hide their mistakes and weaknesses, which destroys the relationship.

Some perfectionists expect others to live up to the high expectations they have set for themselves. If those expectations are not met, they are disappointed, and conflicts arise.

8. Limiting Opportunities

Perfectionists become obsessed with failure and chase unattainable expectations, which prevents them from trying new things and meeting new people. As a result, they might miss out on new and exciting opportunities that would make them more productive.

How to overcome procrastination and perfectionism?

1. Lowering expectations

It will not happen overnight, but you can lower your standards by starting with small details, like not making your bed in the morning or checking email.

2. Dividing tasks into smaller parts

It is said, “You can eat an elephant by taking one bite at a time.” This means turning large projects into smaller ones so that you do not feel that they are arduous. Taking these small steps helps build momentum.

3. Avoiding multitasking

The human brain was not designed to multitask. To address this, try strategies such as managing time, eliminating distractions, and seeking feedback.

4. Self-compassion

When you need encouragement, you just have to review what you accomplished during the day.

5. Getting close to positive people

Try to get out of toxic relationships and spend more time with supportive and encouraging people.

6. Practicing mindfulness

This is achieved through mental presence and not being preoccupied with thinking about anything. You can lie on the floor and practice meditation to reduce anxiety.

7. Minimizing your obligations

Practice the art of saying "no" and refusing what you don't want. This will encourage you to focus on the important things.

8. Rewarding yourself

You can reward yourself when you complete a part of a big task, for example, by going out for a short walk or getting your favorite drink from a coffee shop.

9. Time monitoring

Time monitoring helps you identify the times when you are most productive so that you can organize your tasks according to their importance based on that time.

The most important thing to remember is that you are not alone. If you feel that procrastination and perfectionism are affecting your health and well-being, try getting help from a mental health specialist.