Ways Perfectionism can Lead to Stress at Work
Work is the one thing that most people have to do in order to survive. People clock in on a daily basis and go about completing tasks and making it through another day in the workplace. It is true that some people actually enjoy their jobs and look forward to going to work each day.
Then there are some people who believe in applying themselves to their job to the point of striving for perfection. There is nothing wrong with putting forth the best effort possible. However, trying to beperfectall the time can lead to big problems like stress.
Loss of sleep
Workaholics and perfectionists often stay late or take their work home with them. This can lead to less sleep as they tend to spend more time working on projects or thinking about work. When this happens, a nasty cycle can begin; obsessing over work, loss of sleep, loss of sleep leads to less focus and less focus leads to not being able to get things just right. This leads to staying awake obsessing about is not right at work.
Perfectionists and workaholics are often one in the same and refuse to relax for even a moment. It is almost like they are fearful that all their hard work will be lost if they allow themselves a moment of peace.
Loss of appetite
An unfortunate side effect of stress can be a loss in appetite. The stress caused by the need to be perfect at work can take a huge toll on how much and how often the person eats. This is not only potentially hazardous to one's health, it is also can effect job performance. A person that does not eat properly can become less energetic, less focused and cranky.
One thing some people may not consider is that breaks and lunchtime are both times to grab a bite to eat, but also a time to socialize. A perfectionist might work through lunches and breaks because he/she wants to get things done without interruption. It is not uncommon for people to having "working lunches" where the team orders take out and eats while working on a project. This is great, on occasion, but the perfectionist can forego the eating part altogether.
Loss of the "big picture"
A person can get wrapped up in perfecting details that he/she can lose focus of the main goal of a project or even the job itself. A person can spend more time choosing just the right color of poster board and forget to work on what goes on that poster board. This might seem like a silly example, but it is a realistic one.
A perfectionist does not always think the way everyone else does. To explain this point, refer back to the choice in color of poster board. The color must be absolutely perfect before starting work on what goes on it. To a perfectionist, it makes no sense to do the work on the poster board and then figure out the color is all wrong, causing him/her to have to start all over again. The perfectionist has lost sight of the fact that it is what is on the poster board that counts, not the color.
Loss of "people time"
One of the worst things that can happen is the person can become difficult to work with. Coworkers can find it tough to work with someone who obsesses over a specific detail all the time. Perfectionists want things done a certain way and will nitpick until it happens. This behavior can cause tension in the office. On the other hand, some perfectionists prefer to handle things alone and not consult coworkers at all.
Either way, this can cause a break down in office and team communications. Each person in a team has unique ideas and brings something special to projects. A perfectionist does not always see the value in trying something new and different because he/she is convinced his/her way is the best.
Striving for constant perfection can become rather unhealthy. It can cause a loss in sleep, appetite and even connecting with other other people. Humans are not perfect and were not designed to be perfect. If everything was perfect, then the human quality would be missing. This fact even applies to the workplace. It is good to put out the best effort when completing tasks, projects and dealing with coworkers and clients/customers. That is all anyone can do is try their best, and be proud of that.
Perfectionism causes stress because a person is so focused on making sure everything is just so, that he/she can lose sight of the main goal. Trying to perfect with every detail at work is time consuming and sometimes not very cost effective. Not to mention how much stress and anxiety it can cause the perfectionist as well as his/her coworkers.
