Skip to main content

How to Manage Your Perfectionist Inclinations at Work

By U.S. News & World Report

As a professional, you want to give 100 percent at your job. You want to make sure that your clients are happy, your boss is happy and that any task you are handed is completed to high standards. But for some professionals with perfectionist tendencies, this can provide extra stress. For a perfectionist to complete a project, this can mean taking extra time to revise a project several times to make sure every detail is perfect, every mistake is corrected, every “t” is crossed and “i” is dotted and sometimes even redoing a project until it is, well, perfect. Unfortunately, in some careers, making all that effort can mean losing clients, money and precious time, and it can even take a toll on your work relationships. If you have perfectionist tendencies, how can you fight them and still be successful in a professional setting?

[See: 25 Best Business Jobs for 2017.]

Determine when you should use your skill set. Perfectionists have a special skill set that allows them to provide high quality, and a high level of detail, at their jobs. While we all have some level of perfectionist tendencies, some find it harder to control the tendency than others. Determine when it is appropriate for you to use your perfectionist tendencies to their full potential. For example, if you are preparing the first draft of a project or document that will be handed on to several others, you don’t need to pour over all the details many times since it will most likely be changed before it is completed. On the other hand, if you are the last person to check a project, you were probably chosen to check the project since your boss knows your skill set. Therefore you will want to use your perfectionism to the fullest to ensure that everything is correct before turning it in.

Prioritize your projects. Prioritizing will help you to decide how to use your skill set. Who is the project going to? What is it for? How long do I have to complete it? These kinds of questions can help you decide how much time to spend on making sure a project is perfect. This also will help you to streamline projects that don’t need as much time spent on them and allow you more time to spend on details of projects that really matter.

For help with prioritizing, check in with your boss. If you struggle with prioritizing projects on your own, ask her to list projects in order of importance, not just because of their deadline, but because of what they are.

[See: 10 Ways to Perfect Your Personal Brand.]

Limit your double-checking. Perfectionists sometimes have a hard time calling a project finished. Double-checking for a perfectionist usually involves pouring over a project more than just once. It’s easy to get lost in the world of double-checking and you may not even realize how much time you have spent on the final touches of a project. Decide how many times you are going to check over a project, how much time you need to do that and stick to it. You might find it helpful to set a timer for yourself. Start with checking the most important things instead of the tiny details. Once the important details are fixed, then move on to the smaller details as your time frame allows. And when your time is up, you will know that the most important details look amazing.

However, don’t use this as an excuse to cut corners. Check in with your boss on an important project once you have started for feedback. Let her tell you if it needs more attention to detail or if it is looking good how it is. If it requires considerable more work than anticipated, negotiate a new deadline.

Keep stress at bay. Feeling the need to make sure everything is perfect can create more stress in the workplace and prevent you from being productive. So find ways to de-stress throughout the day. Perhaps this is using your break time to take a short walk, creating a calming playlist, speaking with your mentor or career coach or having a hobby. When you feel less stressed you will find that you are able to move forward on your work projects with more ease.

[See: 8 Ways Millennials Can Build Leadership Skills.]

Don’t be afraid to delegate. If you have perfectionist tendencies and are in a management position, you may find it difficult to delegate projects. You may feel the need to micromanage your employees to make sure they meet your standards. Try to remember that giving more freedom to your employees encourages creativity and productivity. Don’t expect perfection for every task. Has it been completed to an acceptable degree? Does it meet its purpose? If the answer is yes, then move on to reviewing the next task.

More from U.S. News

The 100 Best Jobs of 2017

The 25 Best Social Services Jobs of 2017

Famous CEOs and Executives Share Their Best Career Advice

How to Manage Your Perfectionist Inclinations at Work originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote