What It Means to be a Perfectionist in the Workplace

You know that interview question where they ask “What’s your weakness?” And you’re supposed to answer, “I’m a perfectionist”? Well that’s the truth for me. Perfectionism is both my strength and my weakness.

There can be many positives to being a perfectionist in the workplace. Namely, always turning in very high quality work. Other positive aspects are being on time, dependable, highly motivated, and working really really hard.

But if perfectionism isn’t managed properly, it can actually be detrimental. Perfectionists can have higher levels of stress due to the consistent need to perform perfectly. Burnout and anxiety are common among perfectionists, who often believe their self-worth is tied to how well they perform and they kind of work they do.

Sound like you? It sure sounds like me.

My first memory of my perfectionist tendencies was losing my mind as a young girl if my socks weren’t folded perfectly straight. As an adult, my perfectionism doesn’t manifest itself in such obvious ways.

After last week’s campaign shoot and event for Bloomeffects, I started to realize just how much of a perfectionist I am. I’m so proud of the high level I performed at and how well everything turned out. But what I’m not proud of are the breakdowns at midnight when I got home and was so stressed about one forgotten prop or missed detail. Something that no one else even noticed.

I love the high standards that I hold myself to. I’m always proud of the work that I do and the way that I do it. But last week opened my eyes to the darker side of perfectionism. Something I didn’t recognize until now.

I’m definitely not at a point where my perfectionism is detrimental to my work or my health. But I do realize how it can get to that point if you let it. I’m glad that I’ve come to recognize the dark side of perfectionism so I can take the necessary steps to reign it in.

I won’t stop turning in high quality work or functioning at a high level. But I will start to work on the anxiety that comes from small mistakes, the fear of failure, and the amount of self-worth I place on my achievements.

Have you ever experienced anxiety or stress from being a perfectionist in the workplace?

Xx, Kelsey