Perfectionism: correcting mistakes

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

It's good when the job is done perfectly, it's even better if the perfect job is done as quickly as possible. Sometimes our desire to make everything perfect and overworking on details only gets in the way of getting the desired result. Why? Here are 5 reasons and 8 tips for “correcting mistakes”.

Reason # 1. We are becoming less productive … Even when we have completed the task, we still begin to revise it, check the little things, looking for the slightest flaws. As a result, the work that should have taken at most 10 minutes is delayed by 30, and if you dive deeper, then by a whole hour.

Reason # 2. We become less efficient … Don't get hung up on small details. Yes, they are very important, but sometimes they not only do not add value to the work performed, but, on the contrary, interfere with it. For example, overloading a presentation with unnecessary details, packing a blog with unnecessary details, which ultimately overload the interface.

Reason number 3. We put things off while waiting for the “perfect” moment. Our desire to do everything perfectly can turn a simple little project into something gigantic and grandiose. "Don't make an elephant out of flies" comes in handy here. Inflating a simple task creates in our minds the fear that we will not cope with it and makes us look for the perfect moment when everything will fall into place. As we know, such a moment most often comes when it is too late.

Reason number 4. In pursuit of details, we lose the big picture. Concentration on details is not always good for the overall work. Because of them, you can lose sight of the big picture and, in fact, the desired result.

Reason number 5. Exaggeration of the problem. Getting down to work, we pay too much attention to the little things and start to worry about the problems, of course, small ones, which these details cause. And sometimes we even begin to solve problems in our minds that may never arise or will be very insignificant in comparison with the overall task. By concentrating on this small negative, we waste time and get a lot of negative emotions. Which has a bad effect not only on the work performed, but also on our condition as a whole.

What should be done to make the work compete, the result was close to the ideal and the state of mind remained excellent?

Council number 1. Draw a line. The golden 80/20 rule is when 80% of the output can fit into 20% of the time spent. We can spend 100% of our time, or draw the line under which we get the main result of the task, after which we can proceed to the next project. In this case, the work on the details is not so important and takes the lion's share of the allotted time. For example, re-reading a post before publication 3-4 times, correcting meklich details (fonts, headings, etc.) Think about whether this is so important and what can be done to save time.

Council number 2. Place the accents correctly. As mentioned above, the most important work does not always take the most time. Here you need to prioritize correctly. For example, if not very important blog administration work takes you an hour, then you may need to think about what is better to do more useful during this time - to search for good content or promote your blog, and leave the admin panel for later.

Council number 3. Draw yourself the end result and the big picture of what you want.… What is the ultimate goal, the desired result? This should be the priority in your work. Make sure your attention is focused on the end result and not overwhelmed by the little things. Create a list for yourself in which you list the tasks and their goals. Celebrate what you have done every day or once a week. Such a "work diary" will help you stay on track, prioritize correctly and achieve your goal on time and without loss.

Council number 4. Focus on the essentials. When completing any part of the assignment, think about how important this part is. if possible, delegate simpler and less important things to other people.

Council number 5. Set a time limit. Set a time frame for completing the task at hand. It also helps you stay focused on your core work and not get overwhelmed by the little things.

Council number 6. Don't worry about making mistakes. All people can be wrong. Remember not to react emotionally - it takes time and energy. Better to focus on either fixing them or moving on if fixing the bugs can wait. You set yourself a time limit, remember?

Council number 7. Become aware of the problems. It's good when everything is planned and prepared, but not always everything goes as smoothly as intended. Solve problems as they arise, do not dwell on them, try to imagine a solution. This does not mean at all that you do not care what happens. Simply zaklivane does not help, but on the contrary interferes with the solution of the problem. Over time, you will learn to react to emerging obstacles without much emotion and to approach them constructively.

Council number 8. Take breaks. If you're tired, take a break. Switch your attention to something else, just take a walk or make yourself a coffee. Do not think about solving the problem at this time. Then you will be able to return to work, firstly, rested, and secondly, you will be able to take a fresh look at the problems and tasks. The solution may have been very simple, but you haven't seen it.