You:

• constantly revise, edit and re-do

• have ‘all or nothing’ thinking

• find it hard to start unless the conditions are ‘perfect’ or you know you won’t make any mistakes

• avoid asking for feedback

• find it difficult to choose as nothing seems ‘right’

• struggle to delegate because no one will do the task to your standard

Why it happens:

A fear of failure or judgment often drives perfectionism. The desire to meet high standards or be seen as perfect leads to avoidance of starting or finishing tasks.

What to try:

• set time limits for tasks. Give yourself a set amount of time to complete a task rather than working on it endlessly. For example, "I will spend 45 minutes on this, then move on," to stop over-editing or tweaking unnecessarily.

• aim for progress, not perfection. Instead of waiting for the perfect conditions or result, ask yourself, Is this good enough to move forward? Recognise that "done" is better than "perfect but unfinished."

• challenge the fear of mistakes. When you feel stuck, ask yourself, What’s the worst that could happen if this isn’t perfect? and Would it really be a disaster? Remind yourself that most mistakes can be fixed later if needed.

• set clear "good enough" standards. Define what "good enough" looks like before you start. Instead of aiming for an impossible ideal, decide on a reasonable standard and stick to it.

• stop over-editing and tweaking. Set a limit on revisions, whether it’s one round of edits or a specific deadline when you must stop. This prevents endless tweaking that delays completion.

• accept imperfection as part of growth. Perfectionists fear judgment, but remind yourself that mistakes are part of progress. Instead of seeing flaws as failures, view them as learning experiences that make you better over time.

If you would like help getting things done, then take a look at how I can help.