What should perfectionists do

perfectionists can improve their psychological state by adjusting their cognition, setting reasonable goals, practicing self acceptance, seeking professional help, and cultivating flexible thinking. perfectionism is often caused by early educational pressure, socio-cultural influences, personal personality traits, anxiety tendencies, traumatic experiences, and other factors.

1. Adjusting cognition

Identifying irrational beliefs is the first step in changing perfectionism. Perfectionists often hold an all or nothing mindset, equating small mistakes with complete failure. By recording the gray areas in daily events, one can gradually accept the rationality of imperfect results. The mind log in cognitive-behavioral therapy can help distinguish between factual and overly critical self-evaluation.

2. Set reasonable goals

Adopt a step-by-step goal decomposition method instead of absolute standards. Break down the big goal into quantifiable phased tasks, allowing for room for improvement in each stage. For example, when writing, first complete the initial draft and then gradually optimize it, rather than requiring the first draft to meet publishing standards. Use the SMART principle to test the feasibility of goals, with a particular focus on achievable and time bound dimensions.

3. Practice Self Acceptance

Cultivate a non judgmental attitude towards current experiences through mindfulness meditation. Observe one's own shortcomings at a fixed time every day without criticizing them, gradually establishing a tolerance for imperfection. You can try intentionally making small mistakes such as posting typos on social media, and observe the difference between the actual consequences and the expected disastrous imagination.

4. Seek professional help

Psychological counseling may be considered when perfectionism affects social functioning. Psychodynamic therapy can explore the early formation of superego blame, and acceptance commitment therapy can help establish value oriented action patterns. When accompanied by severe anxiety and depression, doctors may recommend using drugs such as paroxetine and sertraline to regulate neurotransmitters.

5. Cultivate flexible thinking

Establish an error transformation mechanism to reconstruct mistakes into learning opportunities. Regularly conduct resilience training, such as completing imperfect works within a time limit, and record the experience gained during the process rather than any resulting defects. Develop a growth mindset and enhance understanding through practice rather than being fixed and unchanging. Perfectionists need to establish regular exercise habits. Aerobic exercise can reduce anxiety levels and promote the secretion of brain-derived neurotrophic factors. Adding foods rich in tryptophan, such as bananas and oats, to the diet can help with serotonin synthesis. Maintaining sufficient sleep to avoid exacerbating fatigue and demanding tendencies can be improved through sleep restriction therapy. Replace result evaluation with daily progress tracking forms, focus on completion rather than perfection, and gradually rebuild a healthy self-evaluation system.