“Perfectionism is a symptom of something,” according to Thomas Greenspon PhD, an expert on the topic and a recovering perfectionist himself. “It’s not the disease. Perfectionism is more than pushing yourself to do your best to achieve a goal; it’s a reflection of an inner self mired in anxiety.” How we do combat that self-image that we are either perfect or wrong? The inner anxiety that makes us believe mistakes are failures. Here are a few tips that have worked for my inner, perfect, critic, which I also hope will help you with yours.
Put Yourself on a Schedule. What does being on a schedule have to do with perfectionism? Well, it keeps you from being in the office late, working from your home office into the wee hours of the night, or missing deadlines. How do I know? Because I have been you, and sometimes still struggle not to be you. You want your end result to be just right. So, you redo, rework, and reformat for a task that was completed an hour ago. You hesitate to delegate tasks to your team because they may not do it the same way you will. That’s fine. Show them what to do and allow them to use their creativity. If the finished product is what you need, who cares that they used orange when you would have used blue. If you put yourself on a schedule and stick to it, only allowing yourself a specific amount of time to complete certain tasks, then you eliminate additional time spent on making a good project perfect. I can guarantee you there are no incentives for the additional, unnecessary time being spent on something that could have been done an hour ago. While I believe in professionalism and submitting a quality product, it helps to take a step back and see what needs to be done. Ask yourself: Are these additional steps required? How much additional time is needed to make these changes – only for no one else to notice but me? What is the cost-benefit ratio of spending additional time on this project? Meaning, what is the benefit you will receive from taking this step, and at what cost? Is the cost time with your family? Is the cost much-needed rest? Or is the cost fear of losing a job where everyone else has seen your value except you? (Notice I did not name any benefits.) Before calling your friend to cancel dinner plans because you have work to do, consider what you are missing out on and what benefit you will receive by spending the additional time working, and I can assure you, you will submit your work as is and walk away.
Find and Fire Your Inner Critic. It is fear and our negative thoughts that keep us from taking a risk on an investment, speaking up, or saying enough is enough. Instead, we allow this voice of lack to tell us we need to do more before turning in an assignment that was already done. We allow our negative thoughts to tell us we are not good enough. We are not worthy of our position, so we need to work more than others to prove our dedication to the company. We need to be quiet and fade to the back, so no one knows we’re there. Lose sight of personal boundaries to show we can take on extra work, another assignment – even if it really belongs to someone else. What we fail to realize is that we are more than enough. We are given the project because we can be trusted to complete it. We were given the promotion because we were already doing the job anyway. (Side note: Do not be afraid to negotiate your salary when you receive an internal promotion. They find the funds for anything else they want, and they want you. So, make them pay to keep you.) You are in the room because you deserve to be in the room. Your opinion matters. Your feedback is important. No, you will not have all the answers, nor are you expected to. It is okay to say “Let me check on that and get back to you” and then do just that. I used to hold off on providing feedback because who wants the opinion of the girl who earned an Accounting degree from DeVry? I should have been proud to say what school I went to because I don’t look like what I have been through. Not to mention, my hard work, skill sets, and increasing Accounting knowledge allowed me to be in the same room as you, UGA grad 😉
Set Realistic Goals. Most successful people have goals. They set a target. Often including smaller targets, or mini goals, along the way to keep them focused on meeting the objective. Some people seem to set their sights high and then exceed them. While you can’t stop eating bread for a week. So, what are they doing that you are not? They are setting up a plan to succeed while you have established a plan to fail. How so? If the goal is to become a doctor, then you should be researching what it takes to become a doctor. How much education is required? What other certifications must I obtain? Are there specific schools or organizations that will help me reach this goal? How long should I expect residency to last? You get the picture. However, if I have no education and no experience, but decide I want to become a doctor next year... Then, I have probably set myself on a plan to fail. Let’s bring it home a bit. If it takes me two hours to complete a report, and I want to shorten this time to 30 minutes, I have set myself up to fail if I start the report as usual and just assume if I move faster, I will be done quicker. That is not always the case. However, if I make the goal to complete the report in 30 minutes, number One, I should be okay if this does not happen the first time. Just as important, I should take the time to review the steps required to complete the report and look for ways where I can save time. Doing so provides the opportunity to have a plan in place the next time I have to complete the report. I may only knock 15 minutes off the first time I make this change, or I could get to my desired time of 30 minutes to complete. Just don’t give up on the goal. (Look into what it means to Fail Your Way to Success.) Do not let someone else’s reality tell you what you cannot do. That was their story, and maybe even the people before them. That doesn’t mean it has to be yours. Setting realistic goals not only allows you to meet them but also provides the confidence you need to go a step further the next time.
The Transform Tuesdays newsletter was created to help professionals in corporate positions navigate this world of corporate America by overcoming the hurdles hindering them from growing to the next level in their careers, including knowing their value, using their voice, and being authentic to themselves.
Sherrika Sanders has been an accountant by trade for over 15 years. During her years as a corporate accountant, Sherrika progressed through various roles from Revenue Accountant to Corporate Controller. She worked to develop consolidated business processes, post-acquisition financial integration, and Fresh Start Accounting upon emergence from Chapter 11 within seven months of initial filing during her time as an Assistant Controller. Sherrika resigned from her role as Corporate Controller to take a leap of faith and start her own company, Transform the GAAP (Goals Assigned Achieving Purpose), where she specializes in helping employees on the accounting teams of Private and PE-backed organizations increase their productivity by identifying errors and inefficiencies in their current processes to meet organizational deadlines and professional goals. If you are seeking one-on-one or group coaching sessions, click on the following link for a complimentary consultation on how you can work with Sherrika to help you Become the Best YOU in Business. Sherrika believes in a judgment-free zone where all are contributors working towards a common goal. Visit https://www.transformthegaap.com/to learn more.
Kommentare